AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq in the eye of the storm

A video has gone viral. A video showing Governor AbdulRasaq being booed and heckled at an event at the Emir’s palace. The narrative being sold is that this incident happened on August 7, 2022, in a very lame attempt at throwing up a spurious narrative purportedly showing the governor at the height of public disdain.

At first glance, an unwitting bystander would be carried away with such work of ingenuity but on careful assessment, you begin to see the folly of the act.

Facts emerging show that this event took place over three years ago and rightly so, it was at the Emir’s palace during an event hosted by the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Union (IEDPU) held precisely on December 26, 2018, when His Excellency was but a gubernatorial candidate.

It was clear even then, that his candidacy was vibrant hence the need to disrupt its steady trajectory by throwing up a paid mob to disrupt and distract the candidate.

This did not work obviously as the candidate was able to dislodge entrenched interest in the state while going ahead to instigate massive reforms that have thrown up many globally recognized initiatives, especially in health and education.

With very relatable socio-welfarist policies like the Kwara Social Investment Programmes (KWASSIP) which in partnership with the World Bank, continues to provide employment opportunities amongst others to Kwarans on the back of the debilitating effects of the just receded pandemic.

As an independent observer of Kwara state under a reformist agenda and states like Anambra and Adamawa amongst others, you begin to see governance approaching the ideal — ethically robust transparent processes in decision-taking and people-driven initiative that immediately impact the masses.

It is no wonder therefore that we would be seeing this kind of a desperate attempt to dislodge and distract the incumbent candidate via a spurious video carefully delivered with a warped narrative.

Trying to leverage on a fake video and pushing a wrong narrative at this point only shows the opposition’s inability to square up with the incumbent on the soap box using facts and verifiable data as veritable weapons of engagement.

Kwarans, for the first time in a long while, have witnessed an extended period of peace, and security and seen healthcare delivery brought closer home and seen better infrastructural development which has led to the strengthening of the Otoge movement which brought the administration to power.

Kwarans by keeping the faith all seem to be saying – “Never Again” – thereby strengthening the hand of the incumbent at the polls.

This election unlike others in the past would certainly be an assessment of probity, public accountability, transparency and clarity in purpose driven leadership and this is why the intended effects of a transcribed reel was immediately muted by a populace still heaving a sigh of relief three years on after decades of misgovernance.