The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition in Kwara State, has expressed strong opposition to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s alleged plans to construct a new Government House Secretariat in Ilorin, the state capital.
In a statement issued on Monday, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, described the proposed project as “illogical” and “a glaring example of misplaced priority,” accusing the administration of attempting to divert state resources at a time when many communities are facing serious infrastructural challenges.
Adewara questioned the need for the new Secretariat given the “severe infrastructural deficits” across Kwara, including dilapidated roads, collapsed school buildings, under-equipped hospitals, and rising poverty levels.
“Governor Abdulrazaq has barely two years left in office. What pressing need does a new Government House Secretariat serve at this twilight of his administration?” the statement asked.
The PDP also highlighted that the existing Government House complex remains largely underused due to Governor Abdulrazaq’s refusal to occupy it since 2019, despite the government allocating hundreds of millions of naira annually for its maintenance.
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“For example, in 2021, about N3.2 billion was budgeted for the Government House renovation by Governor Abdulrazaq,” the party noted.
Calling for transparency, the PDP challenged the governor to publish full contract details and associated costs for the project, emphasising that the people of Kwara deserve to know how their resources are being utilised amid ongoing economic hardships.
Of further concern to the opposition is the report that the contract for the new Secretariat is to be awarded to a foreign firm, contradicting the governor’s ‘Otoge’ campaign pledge to empower local contractors and stimulate indigenous enterprise.
The PDP urged residents to remain vigilant against what it described as “vanity projects” that fail to address immediate needs or provide lasting benefits to the people of Kwara State.
“Kwarans deserve better stewardship of their resources rather than waste on questionable projects that mortgage the future of our children,” the party concluded.
