Mr. Yemi Afoloyan was the Kwara State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party. In this interview with Success Nwogu, he maintains that his mentor, DR BUKOLA SARAKI, is still relevant in Kwara politics
Mr. Dele Belgore has said the defection of DR BUKOLA SARAKI and Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to the All Progressives Congress is not an asset to the Kwara State residents. How do you react to that?
Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN) is a professional lawyer. He knows that profession very well but when it comes to politics and politics of Kwara, he is completely impotent. He does not even know the geography of Kwara State. Though he is a bona-fide son of Ilorin, he does not know what goes on around Kwara. He does not know the poor people. He cannot empathise with them. So how can he talk about what is in the interest of the people he does not know. I am sure that even within the Emirate, there are many places Belgore does not know. Even within Ilorin West Local Government Area, he does not know also some places. And before you do anything for your people, you must know them, their needs and their aspirations. It is true he came into party politics and he contested election in 2011, I will say his contest or entrance into the Kwara governorship race was a misadventure.
Belgore was in Action Congress of Nigeria. Even though ACN is a strong partner in APC, APC as a party had ACN, Congress for Progressives Change; All Nigerian Peoples Party and new PDP now and part of the All Grand Progressives Alliance. That is the new platform on which aspirations of Kwarans will be further enhanced. PDP has gradually disintegrated and there is no longer any trust, or hope for Kwarans in the party.
Are you saying that their defection is an asset to Kwara State residents?
It is not defection. Our merging with APC is a complete asset to Kwara and Kwarans. In fact, Ahmed, the governor, has not wavered in delivering the dividends of democracy to Kwarans. Belgore should join hands with us so that we can pull him up.
But Belgore is of the opinion that the leadership of the duo has impoverished Kwarans?
That is why I said earlier on that he does not even know the geography of Kwara. Look at what the government has done and is still doing in Kwara. One of the best universities in this country is Kwara State university. Look at the infrastructural development we have: the opening up of rural roads, the creation of wealth and employment of youths. Ahmed has currently brought about a platform to employ additional 5,000 youths.
How do you talk of poverty of the people?
Today the unemployment rate in Kwara State is about the lowest in Nigeria. We have unemployment all over the country but the SARAKI administration and presently that of Ahmed have tremendously reduced unemployment in the state.
Kwara is the 33rd in the ranking of Federal Government statutory revenue allocation. But the phenomenal development that is in Kwara is incomparable to many states that have such resources. That is to say the leaders and the government are excellent managers of scare resources for the betterment of Kwarans.
Over 400 monarchs, traditional rulers, the magajis, graded obas are with BUKOLA SARAKI because of the confidence they have in him and the governor, Ahmed. They have implicit confidence in the leadership and they are willing to keep on following them as they keep steering the ship of this land that is flowing with milk and honey.
Belgore has observed that Kwara which is one of the first generation states created in 1967 is now among the third generation states in terms of infrastructure provision, human capital development and delivering of dividends of democracy?
When Kwara was created in 1967, how old was Dele Belgore? In 1967 when Kwara State was created, the Taiwo Road in Ilorin was called Oyo-bypass and it was a dusty road. What do you have today, Kwara is a commercial nerve centre. Look at the number of roads that have been tarred in Kwara. When you want to mention the wealth of a state or a particular location, just check out the vehicular movement, the commercial activities going and their multiplier effect.
Kwara State has always been a civil service state, and it takes the ingenuity of a leader and a governor to transform a state from a civil service state to a commercially oriented state. That is to say that we have a number of industries that have sprung up within the SARAKI and Ahmed administrations. There is the Dangote Flour Mill, the Dangote Cement, Stock Exchange, the banking industries that are coming here and many others.
But he says that Ahmed’s administration is a monumental failure?
It is laughable for anybody to hold such a view. I sympathise with his ignorance. How do you talk of failure? Is it that Ahmed cannot pay salaries? Is it that Ahmed cannot buy drugs in the hospitals? Is it that Ahmed cannot maintain security? Kwara which is a ‘state of harmony’ is one of the most peaceful states in this country. That is why people are flocking in to buy land and to settle in the state, even people in the Diaspora are struggling to buy land.
How can you call a government that is providing employment, ensuring food security?
In all facets of life, Governor Ahmed has done wonderfully well and the people are happy.
According to him, handing over the state structure of APC to SARAKI and Ahmed will mean that the ‘struggle for the emancipation of Kwara people will remain a mirage. How do you react to that?
What does he mean by emancipation? SARAKI and Ahmed did not say that they are going to APC to take over everything. These are leaders that believe in egalitarian society. The door is open so that we can integrate ourselves well and give ourselves a sense of belonging so that we can, together, forge ahead with the Kwara project. Today, what is paramount in the minds of the leaders is that Kwara must keep on developing. It is not about one individual. It is about structure.
We have come with an election-winning machinery to APC and this election-winning machinery will deliver anytime. I wonder why anybody will be jittery about SARAKI and Ahmed coming into APC. We are all Kwarans. I want Belgore to have a broad mind, stay with us in APC.
He should not run again. Why should one run away from one’s own home?
Why should one run away from a structure that will make him comfortable. As I am sure that we will deliver, Belgore will also have a pride of place.
Are you saying that you are prepared to work with him in APC?
We are not driving him away. We are prepared to work with Dele Belgore in APC. There is no need for him to run away. Is he going to a place that has been disintegrated and he will keep on suffering. If he keeps running, and keeps on running forever, finally, he will run away from himself. He needs to stay back and let us do it together.
But he said that SARAKI and Ahmed are stigmas that Kwarans want to get rid of?
Who are the Kwarans. Is he the only Kwaran? Even in APC, the people that are there, there were two groups in ACN; Lai Mohammed had one and he had one, all the people that worked with Lai Mohammed, we are talking and working together. Ninety per cent of people with Belgore are also discussing with us and we are reasoning together and we have decided to forge ahead with one common united front to make Kwara a better place.
Are you saying that APC winning Kwara will be good for Kwarans?
Of course, wherever we are, we will always deliver. Our coming to APC is very good for Kwarans.
