Political Rivalry Over State Revenue Management in Kwara
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara have been locked in a fierce debate over how the state’s growing revenue has been managed over the past two years. Both parties have accused each other of misleading the public about the use and impact of these funds, with the PDP making specific claims about mismanagement and the APC defending its actions as transparent and effective.
The opposition PDP has criticized Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration for failing to translate what it calls “unprecedented allocations” from the Federation Account and internally generated revenue into meaningful development for the people of Kwara. According to Olusegun Adewara, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary in Kwara, the increased financial inflows have not led to improved living conditions for residents.
“Kwara people are not feeling the impact of the huge allocations and IGR. The governor is running the state like a Bet9ja shop where only him is the Perm and the Sec,” Adewara alleged. He pointed to growing poverty, decaying public facilities, and a demoralized civil service as evidence of poor governance.
Adewara also compared Kwara’s situation to that of Imo State, which pays a higher minimum wage despite earning less revenue. He highlighted that Kwara still pays Grade Level 8 civil servants N73,000, an amount lower than the allowance of a corps member. This, he argued, reflects a lack of prioritization of public welfare.
He further accused the government of engaging in “opaque spending” and “lavish expenditures” on the governor’s comfort and his associates. Between January and September 2023, over N2 billion of taxpayers’ money was reportedly spent on the governor’s travels and convoy fueling. In the first three months of this year alone, about N1 billion was allocated to recharge cards and trips, according to Adewara.
The PDP spokesman also criticized the handling of capital projects, claiming many were “inflated and misplaced.” For instance, N30 billion is being spent on the renovation of the Kwara Hotel, a project that local contractors had initially bid for at less than N5 billion. Additionally, a N1.8 billion garment factory has been shut down, resulting in another N2 billion loss. These projects, Adewara argued, are “white elephant projects” used as platforms for siphoning public funds.
He added that aside from a few roads in Ilorin GRA, there was little evidence of grassroots development. Many local government secretariats, he claimed, have been taken over by rodents due to a lack of activity.
Government Denies Allegations as Politically Motivated
In response, the state government dismissed the PDP’s allegations as “false, baseless, and politically motivated.” Abdullateef Ibrahim, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Communication, stated that the PDP’s claims were a deliberate attempt to discredit a performing government.
“The people of Kwara State have not had it this good. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has shown transparency, prudence, and people-centered leadership,” Ibrahim said. He emphasized that AbdulRazaq is the first governor in the state to implement the minimum wage twice, unlike the PDP administration, which struggled with paying salaries and left behind large pension arrears that have now been cleared.
Ibrahim listed several ongoing and completed projects across the state, including road developments in Ilemona-Ojoku, Omu-Aran township, and Alabe–Oreke. He also highlighted education sector reforms, such as the removal of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) levies in public primary schools and the approval of 2025 promotion examinations for TESCOM staff.
“The governor scrapped PTA levies for pupils in public schools and approved promotion exams for teachers whose arrears from 2017 we have cleared,” he said. He maintained that the AbdulRazaq administration remains “focused, prudent, and result-oriented,” contrasting it with what he described as the PDP’s “era of waste and corruption.”
“Ilorin GRA, and Alabe–Oreke,” he said. He also highlighted reforms in the education sector, including the removal of PTA levies in public primary schools and the approval of 2025 promotion examinations for TESCOM staff.
“The governor scrapped PTA levies for pupils in public schools and approved promotion exams for teachers whose arrears from 2017 we have cleared,” he said. He maintained that the AbdulRazaq administration remains “focused, prudent, and result-oriented,” contrasting it with what he described as the PDP’s “era of waste and corruption.”
“The people of Kwara are feeling the impact of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s performance. God sent him to rescue and reposition the state. The PDP should take a notebook and learn governance from the game changer,” Ibrahim concluded.
