By Gbolahan Balogun

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has been given free rein by the All Progressives Congress, APC members in Kwara State to fly its flag for a second term in office.

Abdulrazaq is one of the three governors unopposed at the close of sales of forms in APC on Tuesday. The others are Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.  .

The APC National Working Committee, last week Wednesday, extended the party’s sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the 2023 general elections to Tuesday, May 10, 2022 and further gave another extension till Thursday, May 12, 2022.

In a revised timetable, the party said aspirants who had already bought forms are now expected to  start submitting their completed forms and accompanying documents from Friday, May 13

The APC in Kwara State has been steeped in crisis since the inception of the Governor’s tenure and fragmented along the APC Loyal and AA Support Group with accusations of domination by the latter on party affairs. The crisis came to a head recently when a large chunk of the opposing group decamped to pitch tent with the Social Democratic Party, SDP and Young Progressive Party, YPP.  READ

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It is not in doubt that the crisis has affected the Governor’s official actions. In an interview he granted a national daily not too long ago, he gave reasons why he could not work with some party members he said, were ‘despicable’ and concluding “Those who take me for granted discover late that they made a wrong judgment about me”.

It was certain he has put more energy trying, as one of his confidants once said, “on raising his own army within and outside the party instead of spending the same time and resources on improving the lots of the people and residents of Kwara state”.

Kwarans have wondered if he has not been distracted by this crisis. But many, especially his minders are confident that the Governor has raised the bar in developmental projects across the state and deserves a re-election.

Mallam Abdullateef Alakawa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, in an interview before Governor Abdulrazaq came out to obtain the forms for the gubernatorial election said “The Governor is the candidate to beat if he decides to run again. This is because of his commitment to the welfare of the greatest majority of our people. This can be seen in his welfarist programmes, especially targeting the underserved and the silent majority, his statewide infrastructural projects, his easygoing and live-and-let-lie approach to life, his unprecedented commitments to workers’ welfare, respect for traditional and religious institutions, and rare humility in service delivery.

“His rare leadership traits and style are such that party elders and stakeholders with love for the state are already urging him to run again”. He said.

It was the same view expressed by the Special Adviser on Political Communication to the governor, Bashir Adigun. Reacting to the unopposed position of the party, he said "it shows members of the party and indeed the people of Kwara state are satisfied with the work of Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq in the last three years."

He said it was a declaration that they want him to continue the good work he is doing in the present dispensation.

"It is an acceptance of his leadership. He has been clearing the mess left by the previous government and initiating new development projects I every part of the state.

 "His policies and programmes have impacted and improved the quality of lives of the people across the state," he noted.

But by far the biggest endorsement came from the Chairman of the State Traditional Council, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, who has thrown his weight behind the governor for the second term in office, saying they were satisfied with his performance in office.

This came in toe with the visit by the monarchs from Kwara South and North Senatorial Districts to the Government House, where they declared their support for the second term ticket of the governor.

With the close of purchase and submission of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the 2023 general elections in the APC, the Governor becomes an unopposed candidate to stand for the primary election.