PDP Republic

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the purchase of brand-new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for newly upgraded traditional rulers across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

FROM ₦4 BILLION EMPOWERMENT TO ₦5,000 HANDOUT: IS THIS ALL KWARA GOVERNMENT CAN OFFER? Just three days ago, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki reportedly announced an empowerment package worth ₦4 billion for Kwarans, including cars, cash and other support. Now, Governor @RealAARahman AbdulRazaq's government is making headlines over ₦5,000 empowerment for selected political loyalists. Honestly, what is happening in Kwara? Is this what the Governor and those around him consider meaningful empowerment? With the present economic situation, people are struggling to feed their families, pay school fees and meet their daily needs. Yet, the government is celebrating a ₦5,000 empowerment programme. Those around the Governor should tell him the truth. Kwara people deserve better than this. They need real opportunities, jobs and meaningful support that can make a difference in their lives. Governance is not about making headlines with small handouts. It is about making life better for the people.

I've been following Kwara politics closely for a while now, and my honest reading is that the momentum has shifted towards the PDP. It won't be a walkover. The APC still has the advantage of incumbency, and fielding Speaker Salihu Yakubu Danladi from Kwara North while the governor runs for the Senate is a calculated play. But the defections of the past few months, especially Senator Saliu Mustapha's move to the PDP, have changed the arithmetic in ways that are hard to ignore. My projection: Saliu Mustapha holds on to Kwara Central, even against a sitting governor, because much of his structure followed him across. Engr. Kale Kawu wins the governorship, with Kwara Central as his base and Kwara South likely to be the deciding ground. This will be closely fought, and turnout will decide the margins. But if things stay on their current course, Kwara is heading for a change in 2027.

Do you remember that woman that was suspended from working as an Alabaru at Mandate Market in Ilorin? The woman who cried out in a viral video, alleging that she was sent away because of her support for Dr Bukola Saraki and the PDP? Well, something has happened to her life since then. Instead of just giving her money and moving on, Dr Saraki has helped her start a new life as a business owner. He cleared her three years of accommodation debt, rented a shop and warehouse for her, and stocked the shop with goods worth millions of naira. The goods have been delivered to her new business location at Ile-Kolobo Compound, opposite Adangba Sawmill, Oju-Ekun-Sarumi, Ilorin. During a telephone conversation with her, Saraki encouraged her to take good care of the business and promised to continue supporting her as she settles down. Think about it for a moment. A woman who was previously struggling to earn a living as a market porter now has her own shop, a warehouse and goods to sell. She also no longer has to worry about the three years of accommodation debt hanging over her. This is what it means to give someone a fresh start. It is not just about giving money, but helping someone stand on their own feet again. This is one of the many reasons I am a die hard Sarakite.