Bashir Adigun, Special Adviser on Political Communication to Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, has reacted to criticism by the opposition party over debts incurred by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state had alleged that Abdulrazaq’s government had borrowed and increased the state’s debt profile to over N100 billion since he came to power in 2019.
The gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, took the governor to task to explain to the people of the state what the borrowings were used for.
Reacting, Adigun defended the government, saying the loans and bonds were secured by the government to build critical infrastructures in the state.
In a statement in Ilorin, Adigun berated the PDP governorship candidate, saying it is the best practice globally to borrow to fix critical infrastructures with the ultimate intention of boosting investment and enhancing development in society.
“All over the world, governments and corporate institutions lean on creditors for greater investments.
“Besides, it is only government or institution that has the ability to repay loans that can successfully source funds from the capital market, especially when committed for development purposes.
“We trust the people of Kwara state will not fall for the deception of the PDP, which plundered the resources of the state while it was in power for 16 years.
Adigun, further explained that the governor was leveraging the loans to create a brighter future for the young people of Kwara State.
According to him, “the state has not forgotten how the PDP diverted into private pockets, the loans obtained to fix infrastructures in the state while in power.
“We will like to educate Yaman, that the bond is specifically tied to infrastructural development of the state, and so far the creditors are satisfied with how the bond is being utilised.”
He said the governor had used the fund to build the Innovation centre, Visual Arts Centre, Garment Factory, KWASU campuses in Osi and Ilesha-Baruba, Osi-Obbo-Aiyegunle road, and Halhikma road dualisation among others.
He explained that the projects would create direct and indirect jobs for the state’s people.
Adigun described PDP’s tenure in the state as an era characterised by looting and outright conversion of state assets to personal use.