As PDP Embarks On Fresh Mandate To Reclaim Kwara From Political Merchandisers – Olusegun Olusola Adewara

Let me start by expressing my sincere gratitude to God Almighty for His grace that has brought me this far as I assume the role of the image maker of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State. I am, indeed, most humbled. 

Before going further, I wish to pay my special tribute to our energetic and digital leader, His Excellency, the exemplary leader and chairman of the 8th National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki(CON), who has chosen to sacrifice his exalted political grandness to uphold the common interest of every Nigerian. History will continue to be kind to the Waziri Ngeri of Ilorin Emirate no matter what his adversaries scheme against him. 

May I also appreciate the great effort of our party’s state working committee under  Rt. Honourable Babatunde Mohammed’s chairmanship for their support, particularly my predecessor, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, who did not lower the bar of the office before his eventual resignation. With no regard to any particular order, I want to acknowledge the steadfastness of Party leaders in the three senatorial districts, the sixteen local governments, and all wards’ executives, critical stakeholders, elders, women, associations, youth caucuses, and all members of the party for the confidence reposed in me.

I thank my friends, leaders, and associates in the media constituency in the Saraki political family who have contributed greatly to make me blend with the working environment over time. My gratitude also goes to members of opposition parties, and comrades in the struggle who have been calling to congratulate me on this new assignment. 

All politics, they say, is local, please permit me to especially appreciate the PDP leadership in Kwara South under the vibrant and our uncommon Balogun General, Comrade Sir Bisi Fakayode’s leadership, all his senatorial team, the seven local government party excos, the critical stakeholders, candidates of our party for 2023 elections, member representing Odoogun/Oyun state constituency, Otunba Taiwo Afolabi, our committed young people and members from every axis of Kwara South, who, despite our limitation, have kept their faith in the party.

The recent injection of young minds into the state working committee of our party and other levels marks a new beginning and a new direction for the PDP in Kwara State and this is in tandem with the vision of our leader as a way to reposition the party to give Kwara people a sense of new dawn and rekindle their confidence in the party.

As a strong believer in Saraki’s principles, and leadership, and one who has sacrificed so much to defend this party, I am well aware of its core values and the great contributions of our government which of course were centred around the people and their well-being. 

It’s on record that, in terms of socioeconomic development, the state was handed over on a fast lane of progress before the eventual disruption occasioned by the coming of the current Political Entrepreneurs who came in 2019, pretending that  they  have come to rescue the state by raising the bar of leadership but ended up putting our people in perpetual pain, sorrow, untold hardships, and reverse gear – while lavishing in opulence at the detriment of our common patrimony. They even imported their foreign lady friends to join them in the “chop I chop” adventures, while our dear state bleeds with impunity. 

In the almost five years or so, the APC-led government being led by those we can best describe as “Political Merchandisers” has reversed all the past gains. They’ve reduced our democratic institutions to an almost dead horse with the government now being run by one man who has rendered the legislative arms impotent. This is after the functionality of our local governments has been brought to its knees with impostors hired to do the bidding of the same one man who put them in charge of the sixteen local governments against a subsisting court order.

Since 2019, it is believed that this one man has been running the operations of government via WhatsApp while he is usually not available in the state. It is a public rumour that only in Kwara will capital projects contracts be transacted on WhatsApp. They now employ their preferred contractors, award them contracts, and may even disengage or increase contract funds for them on WhatsApp, depending on which side of the bed they wake up from.   

To confirm our point, ENETSUD, in its recent audit report, claimed the state spent ₦294 million to rehabilitate the Adeta- Pakata roundabout road. Of this huge fund, the sole administrator approved 86% payment for a job that is just 55% done. Apart from this, within just two days, upward reviews of the initial contract amount were approved and more than hundreds of millions were paid to the contractor. All these transactions occurred between  ‘one man’  and his agents in charge of the project. This is a very sad development for a state that was formerly known for excellence.

Given all these, our task, therefore, at this material moment is to restructure the party so it can go back to its winning ways. But to do this, the Party needs to be rebranded, re-energized, and repositioned to attract the confidence and trust that the people of Kwara long have for us.

The PDP in Kwara has a history of performance and great achievement. In our 16 years of governance, we not only delivered credible and all-inclusive governance, but we also strengthened public institutions to add value to the people.

It is on this premise that, having emerged as the new publicity secretary of our party, I reaffirm my commitment and absolute loyalty to the party and its guiding principles. I will ensure that polishing the image of the party and in addition positive public relations, both of which are major objectives of my office, are significantly improved.

While carrying out my duties with all sense of discipline and dedication, I also pledge to work hand in hand with other party executives and the youth wing of the party to introduce ideas and new strategies to the Publicity Secretariat of the party.

I pledge to champion a campaign that will not only strengthen the faith that members and supporters already have in the party but, will also convince millions of Kwarans that their well-being is more assured under a PDP-controlled government and that our party remains the only platform under which our collective dreams as a state, can best be achieved.

So help me God—Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara aka Sholyments, who is the Kwara  

state PDP Publicity Secretary, writes from Ilorin.