The Media Office of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki in Kwara State has described as disingenuous, unfounded and laughable a claim by the state government that some opposition politicians were planning to launch a coordinated campaign of calumny against Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

In a statement issued by its Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, noted that the government's claim was a baseless attempt to divert the attention of Kwarans from the glaring failure of the governor.

He asked Governor Abdulrazaq and his cohorts to stop raising false alarm and focus on how to provide effective governance to the people of the state.

“The claim by the Kwara State Government that some opposition politicians were plotting to launch a coordinated smear campaign against Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is not only disingenuous and unfounded but also laughable,” Abdulqadir stated.

“This is an indication that the governor and his men are threatened by the collective will of Kwarans to send them packing next year, given their abysmal performance and glaring failure in all aspects of governance. Though the 2023 general elections are about seven months from now, Abdulrazaq and his party are already jittery about the looming defeat that awaits them at the polls. The signs are too obvious and hard to ignore.

“Isn't it ironic that a set of people who deployed the instrument of lies, false promises, deception and propaganda to gain access to power in 2019 are now scared of being paid back in their own coin? Kwarans will never forget how Abdulrazaq and his party men packaged fanciful lies and promises to them only for him (the governor) to turn around and disown many of those pledges.

“As a responsible party, PDP will not tread the route taken by the APC prior to the 2019 general elections. There is even absolutely no need to launch a smear campaign against a confirmed failure. By the way, why should a governor who claims to have performed well to the expectations of the people be afraid of propaganda?

“Like I noted above, the Kwara PDP will not tread the APC path of propaganda; our Party's campaigns will be issue-based and we will continue to hold the present administration accountable for its lacklustre performance and inability to fulfil the numerous promises it made to Kwarans. The 2023 campaigns will not be based on sentiments and false claims but on issues of governance – policies, plans, projects and programmes for the development and progress of Kwara.

“We would also like Governor Abdulrazaq to note that he will not lose next year's election because of any imaginary propaganda or smear campaign but on account of his maladministration and failure to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Kwarans who have collectively resolved to put behind them in 2023, the misrule and mediocrity of a one-chance governor and choose a well-educated, experienced, competent and purpose-driven governor to pilot the affairs of the state.

“Finally, we note that the 2023 governorship election in Kwara will surely be a referendum on the performance of the governor in the last four years and whether he deserves another term or not. We, therefore, ask Governor Abdulrazaq and his cohorts to stop raising false alarms and focus on how to provide effective governance to the people of the state. Sadly, the governor cannot offer what he does not have.”