By Ibraheem Abdullateef
It is good to see Mr. Abdullateef Ishowo, 2023 Kwara People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign spokesman, pick up his pen again after a long hiatus since the overwhelming defeat of the party he spoke for during electioneering. Other than coming to regurgitate local assembly tales and worn-out stories, nothing has changed. It is his usual hide-and-seek game of attempting to hoodwink the public by masquerading as a neutral when, in the actual sense, he is a PDP chieftain.
I must admit that I grew up reading Mr Ishowo and he deserves respect for his efforts to promote scholarship and contribution to the literary society. However, I also hold that he is a fish outside of water anytime he leaves that fold to pontificate on Kwara politics and leadership.
For instance, the picture of governance Ishowo painted for Kwara in his latest article is farcical, sentimental, and misleading. The facts on the ground speak to the contrary. The people, who should know better, already told Ishowo and his party this point blank during the last poll. The outcome was a vote of confidence in Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. They rejected the dynasty Ishowo and his musketeers were trying to sell to them. They had been there, and they could make a sound judgement of the two sides. I’m unable to understand why the brilliant Ishowo hasn’t got the memo by now.
Kwara under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is light years apart from what Ishowo’s principals left. When they handed over in 2019, governance was at its lowest. Basic school structures have collapsed almost everywhere. Waterworks were in a bad condition. Our hospitals were not better than penitentiaries. State workers were not getting their salaries as and when due, among many other breakdowns. But the shock is not in those stories, the news is how these were standard of governance and are still one to be emulated according to this philosopher, who feigns ignorance that they were messes that have had to be cleaned.
On AbdulRazaq’s watch, Kwara tops states in North Central, including FCT, Abuja, on performance in the area of primary healthcare. We have won the PHC Leadership Challenge of the NGF twice in quick successions. Similarly, Kwara has three-peated the National Presidential Debate, showing remarkable change in the education sector. Our basic education is light years away from where Mr. Ishowo’s mentors left it. Access to water has equally improved with the visible disappearance of water tankers on our streets. In about six years, no single worker is owed salary under Governor AbdulRazaq, as well as periodic promotion to tow.
But let me humour Uncle Ishowo and provide answers to some of his questions. First, I like to put it on record that most of them betray awareness of government activities. Or mischief. The claim that the Governor is unconcerned about reported cases of accident along Okolowo Road is intellectual dishonesty. Barely two week ago, CPS Rafiu Ajakaye made a statement of assurance to the people about the ongoing work with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to construct speedbreakers on the road, pending further approvals from federal authorities. While one can call for more urgency, it betrays sincerity to allege neglect.
What was, however, most embarrassing was the attempt to politicise the recent disturbances of some violent non-state actors in the state. I thought that could have been left for the kamikazes at the lowest of the chain of the wobbling Saraki structure. Notwithstanding, the fair and temperate analysts have commended the urgent and brave response of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to the emerging security issues over the last two weeks.
On Monday, April 21, 2025, Governor AbdulRazaq led a high-powered joint security delegation on an operational assessment tour to Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara North. As a follow up to the strategic meeting with the Nigerian Army, he donated 150 off-road motorcycles to enhance troops’ mobility and effectiveness, particularly in rugged terrains such as forests, where non-state actors may be hiding. That was neither the first nor the second time the government was supporting the security agencies. The Chief of Army Staff was in Kwara a few days ago on the invitation of the Governor. This strategic support was followed by another meeting with the first class monarchs to foster a deeper involvement of local authorities in grassroots security architecture. Curiously, none of those was acknowledged by Ishowo who would rather have the public believe that the Governor is absent. Was it AbdulRazaq of Cairo who met the monarch on Tuesday? Just so Ishowo is aware, the use of “fleeing” violent nonstate actors was an unspoken reference to the recent military operations around the Kainji National Park — at the request of the Governor. No patriot tries to politicise security matters.
Away from that, what do facts say about Kwara security? A security report by the Sun newspaper on Tuesday shows Kwara remains the safest in North Central. Sans the sad one-off incident at Ilesha Baruba two weeks ago, Kwara had been mostly without such reported incident, unlike many other states. With the proactive efforts of the government, security forces and local agents, the normal life in Ilesha community has returned. Several accounts made by residents, which were also corroborated by Baruten TV, showed that businesses are running, and markets have opened. Today, pupils attended classes across school in the North. Yet, this is the state PDP-sponsored propagandists say is under siege.
It’s laughable how Ishowo was full of praises for former Governor Bukola Saraki for fighting cultism to a standstill. Who were those patronising these boys that have become a menace to the state? Pray, what did they fight to a standstill when in the life of their dynasty ‘good boys’ associated to their dynasty went to Offa to snuff life out of about 40 persons? Also, in 2016, a single cult clash that spiralled from Kwara Polytechnic ended with deaths of over 16, including Bayo Ajia, a renowned operative of the Saraki dynasty. As a matter of fact, people walked with baited breath in Ilorin until 2019. You could hardly attend any event without being waylaid or harassed by persons affiliated to Ishowo’s beloved Saraki dynasty.
Notwithstanding his revisionism, the attempt of some violent non-state actors to rear their ugly heads in the state is being heavily resisted with every resource that the state can mobilise.
I take a strong exception to Ishowo’s petty attempt to call the Governor a man lacking wisdom or capacity for the office. The richness of the Governor’s vision, his achievements, exposure, and personal accomplishments put a question mark on Ishowo’s claim to intellection as only the deep calls to the deep.
Boastful, empty talks could be said to be telling. From the beginning to the end of the article, he could not provide at any part of it any key, unique and workable idea different to what is on the ground. He sought to only tear down. That’s hardly a quality of men of ideas.
The moment you hear that the two flyovers at Unity and Tanke that have become some sort of point of attraction and symbol of transformation in the state are not needed, that the ongoing urban-renewal matters little, I guess the import of the farcical idea of governance of Ishowo and his ilks just registers. Left to them, the Innovation Hub, Garment Factory, and other projects where investment, employment, and revenues will be harvested, being done by the Governor do not also count for them so far he has not done anything on Okolowo yet or accepted to be errandboy to some stakeholders under whatever funny name. Come to think of it: did Okoolowo just emerge today? And where was the vision of his visionary leaders to know that Okoolowo deserved some attention? Here are a brand of people who left the capital city to become a slum under their watch, giving all kinds of approvals that made nonsense of the city’s original master plan. So much for philosopher-kings!
After the shellacking of his own party across two electoral cycles, you laugh at the absurdity of how Ishowo tried to downplay the acceptability of AbdulRazaq leading a solid party with all the elected structures and fish for a parley in APC, whereas the party he is not proud to wear its toga, PDP, is practically dead. Over the course of a week, the world has come down heavily on its end and the huge failure of its national leader, Mr Bukola Saraki, Ishowo’s perfect leadership portrait. If he could be a bit reflective, he would understand that a similar group to KRM floated by some of these people would rather coalesce with APC instead of his PDP in 2023. It is a case of I know my Hamidu, Hamidu knows me. The people parading themselves as KRM have always been with us. Despite their grandstanding in the build-up to the last general election, the masses proved them wrong. These are the people Ishowo is relying on to make a case for his bogus claims.
The President and the Governor are certainly not waiting on the advice of a man who never believed in O’to ge and its principles and was part of those recently flogged at the polls to keep the house in order. If this were a wise tailor, he should be busy with sewing the tattered umbrella instead of this political overreach.
The disappointment coming for those trying to push the narrative that PDP provides any credible alternative in the next guber will be crushing. But I leave that for time, fate, and God to unveil at the nick of time. The past exists as a guide to build a better future. Toe to toe, the best and most successful Governor in the history of the state remains Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The best bet is continuity with a party with the history of credible service and achievements. Kwarans need no agent of a political party like Ishowo to paint them a grand idea of excellence. The impacts are on the streets, including the transformation of the state in a way never seen before.
• Abdullateef is Senior Special Assistant on Communication to Kwara Governor
