AbdulRazaq Says He Has Raised Governance Bar in Kwara, Rules Out Political Dynasty
0
0
AbdulRazaq Says He Has Raised Governance Bar in Kwara, Rules Out Political Dynasty
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State on Tuesday said his administration has raised the bar of governance in the state, citing investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, revenue reforms and social protection programmes.
The governor spoke at the All Progressives Congress state congress held in Ilorin, where party leaders and members gathered to elect new executives.
Addressing the crowd, AbdulRazaq said that in over six years in office, his government had recorded what he described as unprecedented strides across critical sectors compared to what it met on ground in 2019.
READ ALSO: Progressivism: The Place of Ideology in Tinubu’s Management of Nigeria’s Economy
“Congratulations for our journey so far. Congratulations for being able to meet here peacefully and successfully today. I’ll give us a pass mark,” he said.
“We are in the era of politics. If I may say so myself, I think we’ve done very well, exceedingly well. Over six years of our tenure have seen greater investments in infrastructure and across very important sectors than what we met. But we will not be complacent. We need to work harder and build on what we have achieved so far.”
The governor said his administration had modernised infrastructure across sectors, especially roads, schools and hospitals, adding that his successor would inherit the responsibility of consolidating on the gains.
He also reiterated that he was not interested in building a political dynasty.
“We’re not here to build a dynasty. We’re here to build a legacy. I pray for the person who succeeds me to do better than I have done for the good of our people. I have raised the bar; as a team we have raised the bar,” AbdulRazaq said.
On the forthcoming party primaries, the governor described the period as usually challenging and urged aspirants to embrace healthy competition and maintain peace.
“Yes, there are challenges ahead because the party primaries will soon begin. I call for healthy competition amongst us. Those that succeed in picking party tickets should carry along those that do not succeed. It should be one family,” he said.
AbdulRazaq commended President Bola Tinubu, saying the APC-led Federal Government had demonstrated commitment to repositioning the country.
“This party, being led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a party for all. At the national level, you can see governors and structures from other parties collapsing into APC. Nationally, inflation has dropped, exchange rate is stabilising, GDP is improving and growth is improving. So the President is doing well,” he added.
The governor further said Kwara had been repositioned under his watch, questioning what the opposition would campaign on ahead of future elections.
“In terms of opposition, they will make their politics and say all kinds of things. But since we came in, Kwara has taken a new turn, a turn for the better. I don’t know what the opposition will campaign with — infrastructure, healthcare or education? We’ve done exceedingly well,” he said.
Earlier, the state APC Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, said the administration had constructed 586 kilometres of roads and recruited 8,912 teachers, which he described as the highest by any government in the state since 1999.
He also cited improvements in social indicators, including what he claimed was the lowest child mortality rate in the country.
The congress returned Fagbemi and other members of the state executive committee to office, a development he described as a vote of confidence on their stewardship.
Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Dr Alkali Alibe, said the affirmation of the new leadership was in line with the party’s constitution.
“Kwara State has been consolidating politically under your leadership. People are happy under your stewardship as Executive Governor of the state and we can see evidence of this in every part of the state we have been to,” Alibe said.
