The political career of the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has been boosted as Kwara state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, declared that the party can’t underrate the former governor of the state.
Bolarinwa made this known while briefing journalists on the necessity of the APC’s members to ensure that the party is strengthened at all levels.
He said: “Of course, as politicians we will be fooling ourselves if we think that Saraki is not lurking in the corner. That is why we are trying to put our house in order; to see that the governor is also on his toes at all times. It is working together and in cooperation that will make us ward off whoever comes to challenge us.
On the performance of the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, he said: ”So far so good, don’t forget that the state was in shamble by the time APC took over. Virtually there was nothing on ground.
”The governor declared that his predecessor beyond having looted the treasury there is virtually nothing that could be pointed at. Even to the extent that the office of the governor is leaking.
”As I am taking to you now both the governor and his deputy do not have good offices to operate from. They are just trying to make use of guest houses converted to offices. It is as bad as that. The same thing goes for infrastructure in the state. And above that nothing to fall back on in terms of money left behind.’
”But since he came in over three months ago the governor has been putting his pieces together to see that things are put in shape. That is why the governor has made some notable achievements in his first 100 days in office.
”When I say notable achievements, there were so many services the people of the state were hitherto deprived of, which they now have the opportunity of getting.
”For instance for several years the state has had to contend with acute water shortage. The governor has come on board a temporary measure which allows some parts of the state capital to have supply of potable water.
”The same thing goes for the other two senatorial districts of Kwara South and North. Secondly, in the area of education, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) counterpart funding expected of a state which the previous government had not thought right to pay for so many years has now become a thing of the past.
”The governor released money for the counterpart funds which now allows UBEC to release some funds to the state. If this fund is released it will assist the government in its educational policies.
”This will ultimately lead to an improvement in the poor standard of education in the state. Don’t forget that this state has not been part of the Federal Government school feeding programme because the role which the state is expected to play has not been so in the past government.
”This governor has thought it right that the programme takes off in the state, because he knows the effects of that in the state. One of the effects of that is increment in school enrolment and also improvement in the standard of education. What do you want to teach a hungry pupil? In the health sector, recently there was health summit which the government actually organized to look into the sector.”