An act of ignorance exhibited by Farooq Kperogi has been noted out by a group under All Progressives Congress APC, Kwara Progressives Media Organization.
In their press statement released to the public, they made clear the below detailed facts and information to correct what has been said by Farooq Kperogi.
We have resisted the urge to join issues in the recent display of ignorance perpetrated by Farooq Kperogi during a Twitter space on the topic; Kwara Deserves Better. Fa-crook Kperoogi, In his usual manner, concorted and threw incendiary lies about the state of affairs in Kwara State especially from the local Government, Baruten where he comes from.
During the Twitter space hosted by one of the apologists of Sen. Bukola Saraki in the state, Kperogi said “It is unfortunate that the situation remains the same. There’s been no significant change in the area where I come from which is Kwara North. How do you assess the effectiveness of a government? It’s not by building roads, bridges and the basic amenities it institutes because that is what the government is supposed to do”.
To set the record straight, we wish to say very clearly that Kperogi who has detached himself from the reality happening in his community and the state as a whole is entitled to his opinion. He has only spoken for himself. If he is sure he speaks for the classical masses of Kwara State, he should ensure that his army of state-induced media bandits visit Baruten on his behalf to give him a first hand account of what has happened under the Government of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in about three years of his administration.
It is presumptuous, denigrating and condescendingly spiteful for a self acclaimed professor to have made such gullible statements during a public engagement when he could have displayed decency and act like an academia. Kperogi should be reminded that the difference between pre-May 2019 and 2022 is the people-centric leadership, its priorities, and understanding of what constitutes development — while addressing them one step at a time.
It is important to unequivocally state that between 2019 and now, Kwara has attained the status of a ‘State with High Political Will and Commitment’ in the public sector with verifiable infrastructural and socioeconomic development across the nooks and crannies of the State. The results are gazing in the quality and quantum of facilities. From barely no motorable road in the whole of Baruten Local Government to the construction of Ilesha Baruba ring road, construction of township road in Okuta, and the long abandoned and deplorable 33km Ilesha-Gwanara road which has attained about 20km completion amongst other several roads amidst meagre resources available to the state government. Do we need to ask Kperogi why he’s so much fetched from the reality in his LGA of origin? Or maybe Kperogi isn’t aware that the ongoing effort of the Kwara State government on the said road has reduced travel time, cost of transportation and improved socio-economic potentials in the agrarian belt of his region.
It saddens that despite Kperogi’s supposed exposure he wants Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s efforts towards reversing the infrastructure deficit his people have suffered over the years in the areas of roads, potable water, quality education and healthcare delivery to count to nothing.
It is also important to let Kperogi and his co-travellers know that his Local Government of origin, Baruten LGA enjoyed special consideration during the SUBEB and TESCOM recruitment. His LGA and other LGAs in the state LGAs in Kwara North had the privilege of a special consideration with the region’s percentage benchmarked at 40% against 50% used for the other Senatorial Districts in the State. This wouldn’t have been necessary if Kperogi’s new found lover had prioritised education in Kwara North. All thanks to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for changing the narratives not only in Kwara North but in the entire Kwara State.
The educational drive and policies of the Kwara State Government under the leadership of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq necessitated the payment of UBEC counterparts fund amounting to N7 billion years after the state was blacklisted due to the crook activities carried by the newly found friends of Fa-crook Kperogi. This commitment has led to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of about 600 schools in the State; some of which have been completed in homestead of Fa-crook Kperogi, Baruten and the rest of Kwara North. It is funny Fa-crook Kperogi hasn’t found these laudable and impactful interventions of the AA led administration worthy of commendation.
Oh! Mr. Fa-Crook Kperogi, have you heard about KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) recently launched by Kwara State Government? A public education transformation programme that would improve teaching and learning using innovative technology, data-driven platforms, high-quality learning materials, effective training and continuous coaching and support for teachers and school administrators.
Kperogi, the self acclaimed academic researcher who has since failed to utilize his skill to ascertain the current situation of his community should also be informed that the quest of his people in getting medical care in the border country, Benin Republic has drastically reduced. And yes, it didn’t happen by accident but a deliberate approach of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq towards providing quality and accessible healthcare system for people of Baruten, in 2020 birthed the unveiling of the first state-owned Gene-Xpert Machine at Okuta General Hospital and commissioning of four newly rehabilitated health facilities in Kosubosu, Gure, Yashikira and Chikanda to enhance effective health-care delivery service.
In the area of empowerment, it is important to state that Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) has been beneficial to the people of Baruten and others across the state. The fairness and integrity of the Kwara State Social Investment Programme was the reason why the Baruten born and top critic of this administration, Almajiri Farouk benefited a million naira from the Kwarapreneur interest free loan project, a subsidiary programme of KWASSIP alongside over 100 Kwara Youths who benefitted and got between 250,000 and 3million naira each to support their business ideas.
It is also important to let you know that the Govenor is not left alone in the Kwara State project as other elected public officials have been very up and doing in complementing the effort of the Governor through their several social interventions and provision of basic amenities across the State.
Notably, a few weeks back, the Senator representing your district, Sen. Sadiq Umar carried out a mega empowerment programme with no fewer than 6000 constituents from Kwara North Senatorial District as beneficiaries of the Mega Empowerment Scheme launched by the lawmaker.
The historic empowerment programme, making it the first of its kind in Kwara North Senatorial District also had in attendance, the Senate President of the 9th Assembly, Dr. Ahmed Lawan and of course the Governor of the State and several National Assembly members.
The Senator who in his 2 years in office has been able to facilitate rehabilitation and reconstruction of about 10 roads and several box culverts and small bridges across his constituency.
Is Fa-Crook Kperoogi not aware that the Senate President was honoured and turbanned in his constituency a few days ago as the Magayaki of Kaiama Kingdom. In the historic event where the Senate President announced the approval of the construction of the Kishi-Kaiama road to the tune of 24billion naira by the Federal Executive Council.
Similarly, one would have expected Kperoogi to commend his distant brother, KWHA Speaker, Yakubu Danladi for his numerous and outstanding performance in his legislative responsibility and of course is a laudable intervention that has seen to the facilitation of over 150 portable boreholes, opening and grading of new roads to connect communities and to open up economic growth in the district and the connection of over 59 communities to the National grid after many years of perpetual darkness with no hope in sight.
Unfortunately, Kperogi, who should know better has allowed his emotions to cloud his sense of judgment. Only a shortsighted and myopic person can make such a horrible statement. If not, how could a scholar of Kperogi’s exposure not enquire to ascertain his facts before going to the public to ignorantly misinform his audience?