Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the support for and acceptance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state are soaring. The acceptability and popularity of APC are also rubbing off on the incumbent Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
Day by day, groups, women organisations and individuals are accordingly rooting for another term in office for the governor. These days, the governor’s office is always inundated with people pledging their support to the governor they claim has been a ‘loyal’ party man.
Though the APC has ruled out automatic ticket for any of its candidates in the 2015 elections, this, however, is a season of gale of endorsements and support for the governor.
Recently, the people of Ifelodun local government area of the state and members of Joint Motorcycle Riders Association in the 16 local government areas joined the growing league of people demanding for another term in office for Governor Ahmed.
The people are also pledging their continued loyalty and support for the former governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, for his leadership qualities.
They hailed the senator representing Kwara Central district and a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state for “pulling us out of the torn and tattered umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
Chairman, Elders Forum of Ifeldun local government, where Governor Ahmed hails from, Alhaji Kola Yusuf, told reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, that PDP has become rudderless.
Alhaji Yusuf who was surrounded by political appointees and office holders from the council added that: “We people of Ifelodun plead with the leadership of our party APC and other party members in the state to give the incumbent governor a second term to enable him continue with
the good work which he has embarked upon all over the state even with the small quantum of funds at his disposal.
“Our current governor has managed to stabilise his administration in the current difficult financial situation, removing him now for mere change will be counterproductive to the entire state machinery of government.
“As an illustrious son of the local government, Governor Ahmed has already displayed sufficient proof that given a second chance he is capable of further initiatives that will have more positive impact on the lives of Kwarans.
“Governor Ahmed has demonstrated beyond all reasonable doubt that he is a loyal party man who is willing to listen to his superiors and take their advice in the development strategy of the state. For the past three and half years in office he has refused to rock the boat but has concentrated his energies in developing the state as a good team player.
“We have witnessed in the past how some governors turned themselves into terror groups at the expense of their sponsors, thereby throwing the state into confusion in their selfish bid to turn the table against their sponsors.”
Led by their chairman, Alhaji Abdulraheem Akanbi, the Okada riders, who came in large number to Government House, Ilorin promised the governor and the APC
leader in the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, to ensure election victory for the party In 2015.
The commercial motorcycle operators also commended the current state government for creating a conducive environment to carry out their daily business, against the ban on the operation in some other states of the federation due to bad eggs among the operators.
They, however, solicited government’s assistance in the provision of revolving loans as a form of empowerment for members, adding that some of them are educated to take government appointments.
They also commended the present state government on its development efforts such as road and school construction, renovation and equipping of five general hospitals, provision of potable water, and employment generation, as well as efforts on security of lives and properties.
In his response, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed called on commercial motorcycle operators in the state to be security conscious and provide useful information to security agencies, saying they are closer to various types of people in the society due to the nature of their job.
The governor, who said security is everybody’s concern, added that only duly registered okada operators would be allowed to operate in the state to ensure security and identify bad eggs.
He also told them to organise themselves into associations in order to enjoy benefits of government, saying government would only support them with loans through cooperative groups.
Also, the state chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) led by its chair, Kazeem Adekanye, said over one million youths in the state have unanimously endorsed him for a second term in office.
Adekanye attributed the endorsement of the governor for a second term to his achievements in the area of youth empowerment and employment. He said “I have the mandate of the over 1million teeming youths of the state to commend your administration for the excellent work you have done or initiated for the overall development of the state especially in the area of youth empowerment/employment through the KWABES, QuickWin, Entrepreneurship Scheme, payment of bursary and provision of scholarship to the students and direct youth employment into the state civil service which has seen to the empowerment of 10,000 youths.”
The women folk under the auspices of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) has also solidarised with the governor.
The President of NCWS in Kwara State, Hajia Barakat Atunse, said that “without bein rhetorical, sir, your shared prosperity project contents is having far reaching positive effect on Kwarans. It is devolving and trickling down to the door steps of all Kwarans regardless of political colouration or inclination.
“The project touches on employment, education, health, socio-economic transformation, water, energy, road, etc.”
Hajia Atunse pledged the commitment and support of the women folk to the state government in improving the well-being of the women in the State.
The NCWS also noted that the wife of the Governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed has through her LEAH Charity Foundation touched “lives unimaginably, particularly women and children”.
Governor Ahmed had equally expressed his administration’s readiness to support operators in the transport sector as an important platform for the development of any economy.
It also dismissed claims that it has not started any new project since assuming office.
He said it would be wrong for any government to downplay the vital role transporters play in enhancing daily economic activities of citizens, hence the need to support them.
The two groups visited the governor to express their support for his administration and called on him to contest the forthcoming election in the state with a pledge to support him if he decides to do so.
Ahmed, who spoke in Yoruba told leaders of the RTEAN to dismiss anyone who claims his administration has only been completing projects started by his predecessor as he pointed out that if he had left such projects just to prove that he is now the governor much of public funds would be wasted.
He said; “If we left the schools or roads uncompleted just because we want to prove that we are now governor whose funds was used in starting the schools and roads, is it not your funds? should it be wasted like that? That has been the bane of development in many places.”
“You have been useful in driving governance for us in the state”, he said in his address to each of
the groups and applauded them for keeping to their promise to support his government during the 2011 campaign expressing delight that they have not reneged on the vow.
He said; “your role is very key in driving the national economy because you are responsible for the movement of goods and services and so when we are planning for any economy, we must not fail to include you” and asked them to continue in ensuring a peaceful atmosphere in the state warning that in the absence of peace there cannot be an development.
The governor promised to include the two groups in the various economic empowerment schemes in the state but warned that only those who are registered members of the units and associations in the sector would be recognised for such empowerment.
He directed graduate members of the Okada Riders Association who wish to take up government jobs to register with identified state officials with a promise that he would look into their request about fixing them up.
Jimoh writes from Ilorin
