Demands Direct Response From Governor and Brother
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the recent denial by the Kwara State Government over allegations that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq awarded an $800 million contract to his elder brother, Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq.
The party was reacting to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Communication, Bolanle Olukoju, which dismissed the claims made by Hon. Ilyasu Ibrahim during a live programme on SBS FM. Ibrahim, an APC chieftain and ally of the governor, had alleged that the contract was secretly awarded to the governor’s brother.
In a press statement released on December 5 and signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP insisted that the allegation was not against the state government as an institution, but specifically against the governor and his brother as individuals.
“The allegation in question was not made against the Kwara State Government, but against Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and his elder brother, Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq,” Adewara stated. “It is therefore disturbing and inappropriate for government machinery, funded by taxpayers, to be deployed in defence of what is clearly a private family matter.”
The party accused the government of avoiding the real issue and instead attacking the whistleblower, questioning the credibility of SBS FM, and allegedly threatening to involve the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), rather than giving a clear response to the central question raised by Kwarans.
“The only question that needs an answer is simple: Did the governor award an $800 million contract to his brother or not?” the statement read. “So far, this question remains unanswered.”
The PDP further argued that if Governor AbdulRazaq and Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq are innocent of the allegation, they should address the public directly rather than relying on official government channels to speak on their behalf.
“A government that panics instead of explaining is a government with something to hide,” the party remarked.
The opposition party also recalled a previous controversy allegedly involving another individual bearing the Razaq surname, who was said to have been awarded a transformer supply contract during the current administration. According to the PDP, the contractor allegedly received more than 85 percent of the contract sum before the job was officially awarded, yet the transformers were never supplied and no action was taken.
“It is troubling that questionable contracts under this administration appear to follow a similar pattern and revolve around the same surname,” Adewara said. “Kwarans are observant. They can see the trend.”
As part of its demands, the PDP called for:
- A direct and public explanation from Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
- A personal statement from Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq on the allegation
- The publication of a comprehensive list of all contracts awarded by the state since 2019, including beneficiaries and amounts
- A forensic review of the alleged transformer contract
- Protection for SBS FM and other media organisations from intimidation
The party warned that Kwara State “cannot be run like a private family estate” and urged transparency and accountability from the current administration.
The statement was signed by Olusegun Olusola Adewara, State Publicity Secretary of the Kwara State PDP.
