A former Kwara State governorship aspirant, Sunday Babalola, has urged the Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdurahman AbdulRazaq, to ensure inclusive governance in the state.
In an interview with journalists on Wednesday, he stated that the three senatorial districts in the state should all feel the impact of AbdulRazaq’s governance.
He advised against lopsided infrastructural provision, adding that projects should be even spread.
He also urged the governor to impact the people positively, adding that there is very much hunger and suffering by the people in the state.
He also advised the governor who has already spent six years to use the remaining two years of his second tenure to invest more in education, agriculture and industrial development.
Babalola said: “Now Kwarans, are you people having the best of time this time around? There is nobody that is having the best time in the whole country. Some are having a little bit better than anybody. I advise my state governor that the excess money being paid to the 36 states from subsidy removal and more payment from the federation account should be used for meaningful projects that will impact the lives of the people positively. It shouldn’t be used for grandiose projects. They shouldn’t be projects in order to make a name alone. The name you will leave is not based on white elephant projects that were built. The name you will leave will be based on the impact you made on education, agriculture and industrial development. So you should look for ways to, in the next 2 years, create industrial development for the states. And I think you can do it.
“Though some people say that Ilorin has been so modernized with good roads and other aesthetics. That makes me to laugh. There are three overhead bridges that have been built. I don’t think they are modern. If you call that modernization, it’s ok. But I don’t think it’s more than that.
“We had the highest flagpole in West Africa. If you call that modernization, it’s ok. But I think that we ought to do more than that, better than that. And we also have to remember that Kwara State is an expanse of land. It is of other people, other ethnic groups. And everybody must feel the impact of the government.
“If this country was written or seen in the state capital alone, it’s not good enough. Or if development was seen only in state capitals, that is not good. We need to modernize everywhere. You shouldn’t leave your state capital and walk into places where there is abject poverty and no roads.
“So, I want to advise him today that he should do everything he can to make sure that the roads, and other things he is doing in Kwara State capital are extended to all the local communities of the state.
“There should be inclusive development and governance in Kwara State. That’s what I am telling Mr. Governor.
“It appears the opposition are not virile enough. They have to just wake up and challenge the situation. We challenged the situation last time. That’s why we have to get Oto’ge in. The opposition, if they are not happy with what is happening, they should also try to challenge the situation.”
