KII bombs YPP, says 3k votes do not make Governor

•Says for the umpteenth time, YPP should get to work and stop being petty

•3k votes do not make one governor, KII blasts Afolayan, co-travellers

The attention of Kwara Intelligentsia Initiative (KII) has been drawn to an unfortunate statement written by a certain Abdulrazak Sulaiman Oyan, Publicity Secretary of so-called Young Progressives Party (YPP), Kwara State Chapter. It's supposed to be a rejoinder to our sincere public advisory on YPP and Afolayan's tissue of lies and mischief, but Abdulrazak was just prevaricating and being petty and kindergarten. We wonder how such a straw man of shallow thought emerged a mouthpiece for a self-acclaimed progressive party. Well, it can only be YPP, a party parading a bunch of selfish, disgruntled fellows who refuse to wake up from slumber and keep on chasing shadows.

What YPP's puerile statement did was to reaffirm our position that their argument and claims are unfounded as they relied largely on hearsays, fictions, beer palour gists and comments from individuals who are not only unstable but have refused to own up to their own claims. We challenge those individuals YPP is using as a crutch on LG funds to proceed to the court of law if they are sure of themselves or bury their heads in shame for eternity. 

For the purpose of reiteration, Hajiah Aisha Ahman Pategi whom YPP alluded to in her own words said pointedly that the LG funds under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been “intact”. Well published by mainstream media. It would have been expected that YPP which touts itself as progressive would have instituted a legal case against the state with regard to the matter instead of ululating like a day-old baby.

Again, it is now obvious from the unfortunate reaction YPP issued that its so called members led by one Charles Afolayan are nothing but a set of sadists and disgruntled elements, who are only concerned about themselves and their pockets only. Apart from them, nobody does it well. When their allegation of “anti-youth” posture against the state was deflated with ample citations, they resorted to personal attacks which did not only show that the argument has been lost on their part, but also revealed their veiled interest.

Or what does that unwarranted attack on the Honorable Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Ms Joana Nnazua Kolo signal? It was a show of rabid frustration by Afolayan and co who may not get to that exalted position till the end of their lives; their “PhD” and old age notwithstanding. We are happy that the young commissioner has been proving all her irreverent critics wrong with her spectacular performance in sports and youth development since appointment. To parody King Wasiu Ayinde, Fuji maestro, “olofo lon binu ologo.”

For instance, on her watch, players and workers of Kwara United who were owed backlog of unpaid salaries dating back to 2013 are now being settled. The state-owned football team has also been lifted from pro-league to premier league. Kolo has overseen the renovation of a number of sporting facilities in the state that were left to rot by the previous handlers. Yikpata NYSC orientation camp is now wearing a new look. Same Yikpata that was in a total state of disrepair. To her credit is also the revitalisation of sports festival that has been abandoned for over 15 years. Added to that is the first marathon race that would take place in the state. All these are happening under the Kolo a failed party named YPP sought to taunt.

KII hereby calls on YPP to tread cautiously and do their politics without bitterness. We have it on good authority how Afolayan and his poor assembly of political jobbers are being sponsored by some paymasters who are desperately hungry for power. To them, 2023 is a do or die affair. They literally bought YPP, hijacked the structure since it was out for the highest bidder to do this dirty job.

YPP should therefore advice their paymasters to be man enough to come out openly to state their grouse with the performing Governor of Kwara State and also unveil their real intentions boldly rather than hiding their gloves in agbada to fight a lost battle. Should they fail to heed this caution, we would be left with no option but to start a dossier on all the above mentioned facts.

YPP was also full of itself or rather living in fantasy when it said it expected the state government or Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) to reply to its brickbats and innuendos. That's what they are: clout-chasing and self-seeking misfits. While not holding brief for them, its obvious to every discerning mind that the state government is just too busy with developmental strides to respond to an irrelevant and paperweight party. We just hope that its current promoters will not run to float another party when faced with the imminent big knockout. That has been their style. Those who plotted same shenanigans against the national APC had their noses bloodily bruised; they have taken flight with their tails between their legs. Election is a serious affair not conducted on the pages of social media. Social media likes is not tantamount to electoral votes.

It is also important to state that Kwara Intelligentsia Initiative is a socio-political group consisting of both young and old patriots who will not allow disgruntled, mischievous and nefarious elements to push misleading and misguided narratives about the state for partisan reasons. It's our duty to put the records straight and that's what we just did. We are concerned about the people; we do not want them to be misinformed, not a failed party like YPP. We are therefore appalled by YPP's embarrassing outing rather than doing the needful by burying its head in shame since its lies have been busted.

YPP was at the lowest when it commented on the Leadership Newspaper award. It goes to show that the party parades unexposed megalomaniacs who are blinded by sadism and personal interests, and do not pay attention to details. For exposure sake, Leadership Newspaper, a reputable medium in the country published by late Sam Nda-Isiah who received accolades for his patriotic spirit nationwide and not charlatanism bedevilling Afolayan and cohorts in YPP, awarded Governor AbdulRazaq alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Governor Nyesome Wike both of whom YPP compared to Governor AbdulRazaq. By their jaundiced view that Leadership Newspaper is after dime, their own darling Wike and Sanwo-Olu had probably procured the award too. This is ridiculously low and simplistic. Children of bile and anger!

By the way, was it not the same APC Governors YPP praised in the second statement they took to cleaners in the first release? How does a progressive party speak with both sides of the mouth? Again, the Leadership Newspaper is not the only entity that has recognised the quality governance style of Governor AbdulRazaq. International organisations and independent observers have done same. Did these international organisations also receive dime? One thing is certain YPP is wilfully blind and deaf. No guidance can therefore suffice.

YPP also made disparaging remarks on education under Governor AbdulRazaq. Is there any administration that has invested so much in education than the present government of Governor AbdulRazaq? Does YPP know what Governor AbdulRazaq did in saving the state from the mess of UBEC blacklist? How about renovation of schools ongoing across the three senatorial districts? What about subventions doled out to state-owned tertiary institutions whose lecturers were already downing tools? Remember how the governor also assisted private school owners with funds during the COVID-19 period? Will a government that has no keen interest in education have done that? 

It's even foolhardly that YPP belittled the Owo Arugbo initiative under the AbdulRazaq led government. Well, the scheme is not for the bunch of aggrieved merchants who expected the governor to share public funds with them. The money may appear paltry but the impacts are fulfilling on the streets. It's manifest in the relief and joy written on the faces of the beneficiaries when they receive the fund. More assuring is the transparency, accountability and inclusiveness with which the money is disbursed. Under the adminstration of Governor AbdulRazaq, no vacancy for the “enugbes” who wait on the governor for subvention and running cost. It's only a failed party like YPP that can accommodate such elements.

Kwara Intelligentsia Initiative hopes that Afolayan, Oyan and their co-travellers would not run into their shells when the people finally decide and they meet their Waterloo. For now, the government is very busy with developmental strides. The period for politics would soon come and we'll see who plays it best.

Kwara Intelligentsia Initiative

December 22, 2020