New Political Movement Squares Up to Gov AbdulRazaq in Kwara

Hammed Shittu writes about a new political group taking shape in the State of Harmony, Kwara Redemption Movement, that is set to challenge the current dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections in the state.

There is no gain saying the fact that the battle for the soul of Kwara state ahead of 2027 poll has begun in earnest. This is as coalition of politicians in the state have come together to see to the new paradigm shift in the day to day governance of the state with a view to returning power to the people at the grassroots.

This, they believe, would accelerate the socio-economic development and good governance that the people deserve across the 16 local government councils of the state.

Flowing from this, the affected politicians under the auspices of Kwara Redemption Movement (KRM) recently launched their group in Ilorin, the state capital to educate and enlighten the people and the likeminds on the need to come together to discover new set of quality leaders that would emerge in order  to wrestle power from those they claimed are hawks in the governance of the state.

They claimed that the past years of political leadership had withessed unprecedented bad governance based on the alleged insincerity and selfishness on the policies’ implementation on the part of those that had been in the helm of affairs.

The ugly development, according to the movement, has retarded the expected development and growth that can transform the state into well being of the rural populace.

Also, the movement perceived that the present leadership has failed to rise to the yearnings and aspirations of the populace due to the lack of manifestos that can address the multi-faceted challenges that had dotted various communities and other social needs of the people in recent past.

They also claimed that despite huge financial allocations both from the federal and internally generated revenues that had been accruing to the state, the state could not witness the much desired development saying this has perpetually manifested in the high rate of poverty, insecurity, cultism, armed robbery, among other problems.

Though, the formation of the change movement by the astute politicians in the state was not the first time in the political history of the state as a movement of such nature was formed in 2019 under the aegis of ‘O To Ge’ (enough is enough) movement which swept away the age-long Saraki political dynasty in the political governance of the state.

The movement led to the emergence of the incumbent governor of the state, AlhajiAbdulRahmanAbdulRazaq during the 2019 general elections under the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC). As this was not enough, the movement also recorded success with the total victory of all the elected representatives of the APC for both state and national assembly seats during the election.

It should, however  be noted that the present administration in the state has continued to rise to the needs of the people since assumption of office and has changed the socio well being of the populace for better.

Despite the giant strides of the administration, a coalition of politicians has formed another movement to challenge the current atmosphere come 2027 in order to address the perceived neglect in the governance of the state.

This new movement, Kwara Redemption Movement which is being led by a former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and now a chieftain of APC in the state, Hon. IyiolaOyedepo has set out a new agenda that would lead to the recruitment of new quality leaders ahead of the 2027 elections in the state.

It should be noted that Oyedepo was also in the fore front and one of the masterminds of the ‘O To Ge’ movement in 2019 that worked tirelessly to see to the end of the Saraki dynasty after 40 years of political control of the State of Harmony

Other members of the new movement include the immediate past Ambassador to Pakistan, MuhammedAbioye; former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Ezekiel; immediate past  deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Raphael Adetiba; immediate past Secretary of the APC, AlhajiTajudeenFolaranmiAro; AlhajiLukman Mustapha, AlhajiAbdullahi Lade and Hon. Ayo Obisesan.

Also in the new movement are SaabaLafiaji, Prof. Wale Suleiman, AlhajiSarafa Ibrahim, Mr. TundeMuhammed, Rev. BunmiOlusona, Mr. TundeBabalola and representatives from all the 16 local government councils in the state.

Speaking in Ilorin during the unveiling of the movement, leader of the group, Hon. Oyedepo said: “Another history is being made today for the coming together of coalition of politicians to work as a team to salvage our dear state, Kwara.

“The present situation in the state called for urgent attention in order to prepare for next generation and this is another time to work together again to do it”.

Oyedepo explained that the movement is not formed to attack, insult or abuse anyone but to jawjaw on how to provide and recruit quality leadership that would move the state to greater heights.

According to him, “if you could remember vividly, this is how the O To Ge movement was conceived and started ahead of 2019 general elections in Kwara state and we thank God for its attained goal in the state.

“Though, those that didn’t know how it started are now benefiting from the struggle and they failed to acknowledge the works and desires of those that worked for the success of the ‘Enough is Enough’ in the state”.

Oyedepo stated further that, “the KRM is a socio/political/economic association with concern and coverage in Kwara State in particular and Nigeria in general.

“It is not a platform that can be used to contest an election to the local government, state or federal levels of government in Nigeria. It is formed by Kwara Patriots with concern, commitment and total fidelity to happenings in Kwara  state.

“The major tool in the hands of KRM is to sensitise, mobilise and organise the people of Kwara State for acceptable political behaviours and standard that will ensure the holistic  developments of Kwara State as a political unit.

“Being not a political party, even people in different political parties have free access to join us and those that are not willing to continue to be members shall have free exit too and it is brain child of those that see a dead end in the present but desires a prosperous future for Kwara”.

Oyedepo added that: “Many of you would have heard about KRM on our weekly ‘Irapada’ (Redemption) radio programmes are aired on three radio stations four days in a week. We want to inform you that since we started the radio programmes, the temperature of the politics of the state have risen positively.

“The seating government has been  responding to issues raised in the programme. The government often reacts to explain its policies and actions to the people of Kwara State. We raised issues and do not insult, abuse or castigate groups, political parties or personalities. For over two months, we explained to the people of the state the issues surrounding the local government autonomy and why people must take keen interests in how the councils are being run”.

He pointed out that, “the effectiveness of our radio programme can also be gauged in the areas of people’s response to the programmes.”

Oyedepo added that the big assignment before us is to create a mass movement of mass following that must change Kwara political narratives.

He also said: “We do not need fair weather people that will be committed to nothing but their stomachs and personal interests because this has been our major problems in party organisation and has to be corrected.

“We do not need those that are not ready to learn new approach to doing things especially in politics. We do not need youths that are already misguided and they are more social media tigers. We need serious people, old or young, women and men that believe in oneness of Kwara and are ready to redeem the state from years of waste, neglect, misplaced priorities and values.

Oyedepo opined further that, “It is now imperative for us to think about the present, yesterday and the future so as to address the lopsidedness and lack of quality leadership in Kwara state.

“We realised that, we don’t need guns, we don’t need to insult or abuse anyone but to use enlightenment and mobilisation on radio stations to achieve our aims”.

Oyedepo added that, “We don’t want to make mistakes of 2019 of ‘O To Ge’ movement because those that were not part of us that later emerged as our leaders failled to make impact for the prosperity and socio well being of the Kwarans.

“And for this stand, we will work tirelessly this time around to look for good leaders that would address the yearnings and aspirations of the people in the next general elections”.

While appealing to members of the movement not to be deceived from any quarters, Oyedepo stressed that the people of the state have seen light and will not be cajoled into falling into any trap in the next political dispensation in the state.

He therefore urged the members of the movement to brace up for the new challenge ahead so as to salvage the state from the whims and caprices of those that had failed to bring good governance to the doorsteps of the rural communities in the state.

Also speaking on the new movement, a former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Ezekiel said the movement is out to correct the past mistakes on the former movement, ‘Enough is Enough’ movement.

According to him: “The ‘Enough is Enough’ movement was done in a hurry and the beneficiaries of the struggle had taken the state for granted. And this time around, we decided to start in earnest so as to know the kind of people to work with in order to assist the state to achieve the goals of her founding fathers.

“Kwara state is not moving forward when compared with other states created along with it in 1967 and this is the reason we have come together to fashion the way out in order to return the state to her lost glory come 2027”.

Ezekiel therefore urged the members to be steadfast and committed to the goals of the KRM so as to take the state to a greater height.

By and large, with the birth of the KRM in the state ahead of 2027 general elections, political pundits in the state are of the opinion that, the new movement can lead the way like the ‘O To Ge’ mantra that displaced the 40 years political leadership of Saraki dynasty in 2019.