Kwara All Progressives Youth Forum has said the hostility to the decision of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to revamp Kwara Hotel is not unconnected to the 2027 gubernatorial bid of some businessmen, according to a statement on Wednesday.
The group said the ongoing media onslaught against the government by Crystal Group has more to do with politics and ambitions rather than interest of the people and state.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the Coordinator Shaaba Hussein, the forum added that people should rally round Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as he has given the contract to a company that has the capacity, credibility, and competence to do the job.
“We see that the gloves are finally off and it is now the hour of truth. The ongoing media campaign of calumny over the award of remodelling of Kwara Hotel contract to Craneburg construction is sponsored and ill-conceived. Neither the 17.8bn worth of contract nor the competence of the contractor is in doubt. Until this moment, none of these have been professionally proven to be fraud,” the statement quoted Coordinator of Kwara APC Youth Forum Mallam Shaaba Hussein as saying.
“Having clearly confirmed that, I make bold to say that the ongoing media onslaught and purported legal issues were planned to hold the project to ransom. It is also a part of the grand scheme to launch a 2027 gubernatorial bid. They have approached the banks to initiate loans for the purposes. Desperate businessmen are seeking to secure the contract, annex the hotel, milk the funds, and revive a failing political career in one of the major parties in the state. But we wish to state unequivocally that we are now in on the whole plot and shall not be an accomplice to the heist.
“The open letter to the Governor written by Hon. Moshood Mustapha is self-indicting. He’d rather get the contract for the remodelling of the hotel at piecemeal and line his pocket with billions of naira than to see it been overhauled completely as per the wishes of Kwarans. Mustapha has also revealed he thought he deserved the project only as a politician rather than a credentialed professional. It is a level of entitlement and greed out of this world. This a company that neither has the profile nor the clout or even resources to pull off a project of such size.
“We were aware of the deals and alliances formed across the divides to intimidate the government from taking this step. It has failed. The realization of the futility of that exercise apparently led to the book of lamentations in the name of an open letter supposedly written to whip sentiments against the Governor. That, instead of working any magic, has rather exposed their desperation and greed to Kwarans. We say without reservations that Kwara Hotel is not a consolation prize.
“We support Kwara State Government and Kwara House of Assembly’s decision to award the contract to a competent company for a thorough and quality job in the interest of state and development. The remodelling of Kwara Hotel, our heritage, must be swift, thorough, and repositioned to generate revenues for the benefit of every Kwaran— and not the pocket of an overfed con and bully perpetually tied to the apron of the scion of me-and-my-family.”
Hussein called on APC members and residents in the state to be wary of charlatans who have been contracted to derail the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for personal interest.
