Abdulrahman: A Governor Undermining Tinubu’s Gains in Kwara State

By Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir.

One would expect that with increased federal allocations and rising revenue, life would improve for the people of Kwara State. Sadly, the reverse appears to be the case. The situation is as strange as it is disheartening. At a time when basic infrastructure and social welfare should be the government’s priority, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has chosen to focus on vanity projects—a new Government House and a palace—while the needs of ordinary citizens remain unmet.

It is important to note that the current Government House isn’t on lease or under any known threat. Yet, the administration has embarked on plans for a new one that will cost taxpayers billions. Instead of channelling resources to health, education, or job creation, Governor Abdulrahman is accused of spending extravagantly—₦500 million for a flagpole, ₦17 billion for a hotel, and millions more on projects that are demolished soon after renovation, only to be reconstructed at inflated rates.

Despite allocations to the state reportedly tripling under the Tinubu administration, there’s no corresponding improvement in the lives of workers or the general population. The reality in Kwara remains ordinary, with little to show for the state’s increased income.

There are even growing rumours that the new Government House project may serve as a channel for alleged off-the-books political funding of the coalition, many continue to allege that the Governor has his footprints there. Otherwise, what could possibly justify constructing a new official residence for a governor who has less than two years left in office?

What’s more troubling is the perception that the governor’s personal businesses struggling before he assumed office are now thriving, allegedly fueled by public resources. Observers say he is significantly wealthier than he was at the start of his tenure, while public services remain in a poor state.

The full extent of financial mismanagement under this administration is still unfolding. However, one thing appears certain: if his preferred successor fails to emerge, Governor Abdulrahman may find himself entangled in legal trouble soon after leaving office. This perhaps explains the aggressive push behind the current Speaker, Yakubu Danladi, whom insiders say knows too much about the administration’s inner workings to be left out of succession plans.

Public outcry has never seemed to bother Abdulrahman. His track record is filled with unpopular policies that reflect personal interests rather than the needs of the people. At a time when Kwara needs responsible, transparent leadership, the state is instead saddled with a government preoccupied with self-promotion and questionable spending.

The people of Kwara deserve better.

Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir, a Kwara-born political analyst writes from Ibadan.