Yemisi Izuora
Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has offered insight on why he defected saying his deserting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is not borne out of selfish interest.
The Governor spoken in Ilorin on Tuesday when he received the National Executive of Oro Descendents Union (ODU), led by its President, Alhaji Uthman Tunji Balogun, at the Government House.
Ahmed told his visitors that he reluctantly dumped the APC when it became obvious that the people of the state “who delivered a 100% electoral victory to the APC were continuously being marginalized and persecuted”.
According to him, all entreaties to ensure that the people of Kwara state are treated with dignity, equity and justice fell on deaf ears.
“If it were for personal gains, I wouldn’t have left the APC as a sitting governor.
“The Senate President would also have been contented with the coveted position of the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.
Gov Ahmed said the struggle was about the interest of the people of Kwara to participate effectively and meaningfully to the growth and development of Nigeria.
He described PDP as a reformed and inclusive party that would provide an enabling platform for members to actualize their potentialities.
Earlier in his address, the National President of the union, Alhaji Balogun, commended Gov Ahmed for his bold attempts to change the face of the state.
He said the governor was doing this through the provision of infrastructure and amenities capable of improving the standard of living of the people.
Balogun, on behalf of the nine communities that make up the Oro kingdom, expressed appreciation to the Governor for his prompt response to their call to upgrade the Kwara State College of Education, Oro, to a degree-awarding institution.
He also commended the Governor for the construction of Oloro Palace and the rehabilitation of Okeola- Oro / Ijomu – Oro road among others.
Balogun appealed to the Governor to upgrade the stool of Oloro to a first class status.
He made a case for the rehabilitation of interconnecting roads within the kingdom to facilitate movement of goods and services among the communities.