Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed

Hammed Shittu

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, Thursday said there was no rift between him and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, as being speculated by the opposition in the state.

He said the rumours was the handiwork of opposition groups in the state and was meant to cause disaffection between him and Saraki and that would not take them to anywhere.

A national newspaper (not THISDAY) had recently published that there was an alleged face-off between Ahmed and Saraki over the 2015 election in state.

But Ahmed, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said the relationship between him and Saraki, rather than wane, had remained cordial and strong based on their long association and a shared vision of a prosperous state.

He dismissed the speculated dispute as a figment of the opposition’s imagination.

According to the statement, “Ours is a unique partnership based on mutual respect, which grows stronger daily due to our long history and standing commitment to making Kwara State a model for other states in terms of economic growth and prosperity for the people.”

He said: “We are like a tag-team in which we are pulling our strength together in a determined effort build a greater Kwara State for the benefit of prosperity. Senator Saraki is a man for whom I retain the highest regard and I am happy to state that the feeling is reciprocal.”

Describing his administration as a government of continuity, the governor said the situation in Kwara State was unique due to the peaceful transition from the previous administration to the current one, adding that his decision to up scale the laudable programs initiated by his predecessor was an eloquent testimony to the benefits of continuity.”

He noted that the continuity had continued to elude other states in the country, thereby affecting the development of the country.

The statement stressed further that: “2015 is still far off, Governor Ahmed stated that he remains focused on economically empowering Kwarans and growing the state’s economy through his administration’s robust Shared Prosperity Programme.”

He restated his determination not to be distracted by the antics of the feeble opposition in the state, and called on the people of Kwara State, at home and abroad, to ignore the parties’ antics.

The statement, therefore said, the rumours  are designed to sow seeds of discord between him and his predecessor, saying the development would not take the opposition to anywhere in the state.

Also, in his reaction Thursday, Saraki said: “The rumour of his rift with Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is a beer parlour and low level gossip that need not to be dignified with a response, its just a strategy of a sinking opposition in the state to stay afloat and seen been relevant.”

Saraki in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Communications, Mr. Akintoba Fatiregun, said: “The relationship between him and Governor Ahmed remain very cordial and no amount of sponsored and coordinated lies from the opposition can break the cordial relationship that exist between them.”

Saraki, therefore, advised the opposition to develop another strategy ahead of the 2015 instead of sponsoring falsehood and lies which would lead them nowhere.