Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has slammed Senator Bukola Saraki over his administration’s submission on the urban renewal programme.
Through a statement issued by Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaiye on Tuesday in response to Mr. Saraki’s earlier statement, the governor said his administration was trying to restore the health of the state that was messed up by the former governor.
Abdulrazaq maintained that what he has done so far is to courageously take back what belongs to the people of the state, adding that during the reign of Saraki and his cronies, what rightfully belonged to the Kwaran It added that it was taken away and repurposed for personal use.
The statement reads: “The Abdulrazaq government’s urban renewal program, which involves restoring or improving the capital’s original plans as much as possible to suit current realities, is long overdue.
“This is what a responsible government should have done years ago when the first Ilorin Master Plan expired in early 2000.
“Our great capital was until recently a chaotic, haphazard slum, and no one in the corridors of power or their cronies were able to patch up available land and expand the city. It is a dirty relic of the Bukola Saraki era when buildings could be built with little regard for the planning code.The result is an environmental disaster that is visible in many parts of Ilorin and surrounding areas. and its effects on property.
“The governor has no history of cornering public property for himself or his family. Anything he has ever done within the law has been stolen or questionable during the reign of Saraki and his cronies. From the questionable land sale of the judge’s quarters to the amusement park, the Galadimawa mansion, and Kaduna, he courageously reclaimed for the Kwarans their rightful possessions that had been converted for private use. From the Kwara Liaison Office in Lagos to Flower Garden to Arugbo Island, the list of robberies they sold to themselves or mismanaged is endless – mind-boggling.
“The next time Mr. Saraki visits this state, he should have the courage to see what the government has done with the flower gardens and land on Arugbo Island that it stole from the people. High-rise buildings are emerging that will house unique hospitals to improve and enhance economic prosperity.
“It is not surprising to see Mr. Saraki foaming at the mouth because the reforms ensured that the land that had been approved for parking as per the signature of his successor, Alhaji Abdulfattah Ahmed, Because land that was mistakenly converted into something else was reclaimed for the people. Overall, such reckless behavior is a hallmark of the Saraki era and we expect nothing less from him. It wasn’t.
“To restore sanity to a growing capital like Ilorin, we need courageous leadership that will not bow down to intimidation like Saraki. Governor Abdulrazaq’s urban renewal will take Ilorin to the next level in urban renewal. As was the case in the era of the late Major General George Inni, this is done with due consideration to the law, practical empathy, national circumstances, and physical development.
