Stakeholders in Kwara South Disagree over Recall of Senator Ibrahim

By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Stakeholders in the Kwara South senatorial district of Kwara State have disagreed over the purported plan to recall the senator representing the senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, over his alleged under performance since his election into the Senate.

Already, a group known as Kwara South Unity Forum has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly to commence the process of recalling Ibrahim.

Speaking at a press conference in Ijagbo in Oyun Local Government Area of the state yesterday, the president of the forum, John Adegboye, said the decision to recall Ibrahim was borne out of  his under -performance and poor representation of the Kwara South senatorial district

According to him, “the current system of representation we are experiencing under Ibrahim is archaic, demeaning, dehumanising  and also unacceptable. We are no longer under the pre-colonial dispensation where there is indirect rule.

The forum said:  “We the people of Kwara South are appalled by the fact that a man whom we unanimously elected as a senator to represent us in the 8th Assembly, has now openly declared that he has ‘boss’ other than we the good people of Kwara  South, that he takes directives from.

“We make bold to call your attention to the physical implications of this show of subservience. In almost three years, where are the federal projects the senator has attracted to the district?”

In his reaction, former transition implementation chairman of  Irepodun Local Government Area, Mr. Kashim Adekanye, in an interview with journalists at Ajase-Ipo in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state, described the plan to recall Ibrahim as a cheap talk.

Adekanye said: “Anybody can decide to say what he likes. I am aware the senator has brought another developmental project to this constituency. And in our party the All Progressives Congress (APC), we have  leaders we are following.”

He added: “All of  us the followers of Senate President Bukola Saraki are united under that banner. My general advice is for both parties to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences if any.”

Also reacting to the group’s intention, students under the auspices of National Association of Students, the state branch of National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) passed confidence vote on the senator.

The spokesman of the groups  who is also the  state chairman of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Abdulkadir Aliyu, said the senator is a man of the people and father of Nigerian students in the constituency.

Aliyu added that the senator’s leadership qualities and open door policy had endeared him to the students.

He said this can be attested to by the construction of relaxation centre to University of Ilorin students,  students empowerment scheme, renovation of Offa Township Hall,  free SSCE and JAMB registration.

Others are sponsorship of students programmes, scholarships, free vocational training.

“Without iota of doubt, we are convinced that his leadership deserves a great applause,” he added.