By 
The People Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has tackled a former presidential candidate and chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim over his recent comments on politics and governance in the state.
We could recall that, Olawepo-Hashim, a former presidential candidate during a courtesy visit to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, lauded his administration said Kwara will not go back to the dark era it exited in 2019.
In his statement “There is no governor in Nigeria that has done what you have done for the youths and women, especially in terms of giving them the space for leadership in your administration, as we have seen in your cabinet and other key appointments. Young people are inspired by this. I have worked before as a youths activist and therefore I know the value of what you have done. Because essentially this is the core of the challenge for democracy in our Country. That democracy must reflect the composition of the society, and you have set this standard. I just want to say congratulations on this,”
“Secondly, I am impressed by what you have also done for young people by getting good teachers for them, who were recruited on the basis of competence. One of the young women who participated as a civil society activist in the recruitment exercise briefed me. I didn’t just read on the pages of newspapers. I have been speaking to people. And I am convinced that this is essentially what we put ourselves together twenty something years ago to change the face of Kwara. I am happy at what I am seeing, so I just come to say God bless you. May God continue to protect and inspire you on a direction to deepen this programme that Kwara has desperately needed.”
Meanwhile in reacting to Olawep-Hashim comments, a youths leader in Kwara central, Abdulhameed Issa Adangba, who claimed to have worked with Olawepo in the past asked him to wake up to the reality, saying that his comments are at variance with the current situation in Kwara.
In his words “the people of Kwara had seen the difference between the PDP and APC administrations and can no longer be swayed by the lies, propaganda, false performance claims and fake promises of the APC”
“I know Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim quite well, having worked with him in the past. He cannot say he is unaware of the disenchantment of Kwarans towards this present administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. He knows within himself that the governor and his party have failed Kwarans but was only praise-singing him to curry favour with him. Olawepo-Hashim is politically unstable and will do or say anything to secure his meal ticket and personal interests”
“Olawepo-Hashim’s comments are at absolute variance with the current situation in Kwara. Having failed to meet their yearnings and aspirations, Kwarans are utterly disappointed with the woeful performance of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq APC-led administration and now look up to the PDP for a new productive direction. Majority of Kwarans are yearning for the return of PDP and cannot wait till 2023 to kick APC out.
“The more than two years of Governor Abdulrazaq’s administration has been a colossal waste. He has not only reneged on his campaign promises and made life difficult for Kwarans including workers but has also reversed the gains achieved by previous governments and has set the State backward”
“In the last two and half years, Kwarans have been confronted with an insensitive, deceitful, vindictive and ineptitude administration that lacks understanding of what governance is and has no commitment to fulfil its promises. The administration has become a butt of joke and will go down in history as the worst in our State. The Abdulrazaq administration is characterized by ineptitude, insensitive leadership, impunity, abuse of office, allegations of corruption including contract inflation and favouritism”
“It is therefore embarrassing for Olawepo-Hashim to assume that Kwarans will in the face of glaring failure, misrule and incompetence stick with this present APC-led administration. I challenge him to name any key developmental project that Governor Abdulrazaq initiated and has completed since he assumed office or any programme that has had significant impact in the lives of Kwarans” he said.
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