PDP DEMANDS IMMEDIATE HALT OF N17.8 BILLION KWARA HOTEL RENOVATION

....Insists N17bn Kept In Secret Bank By Abdulrazaq Must Be Accounted For

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emphatically demanded an immediate stoppage of the proposed N17.8 billion expenditure earmarked for the renovation of Kwara Hotel by Abdulrazaq's led APC government, describing it as insensitive and misplaced priority.

The PDP in a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments) said in the face of economic challenges confronting our citizens, such an exorbitant spending plan requires detailed clarification. It is also important for Abdulrahman to tell Kwarans whether the intention is to demolish the existing structure and rebuild the new hotel since the government has remained inconsistent in its dealing of this hotel .

To us in PDP, there are so much inconsistent in the government's statements over Renovation/ rehabilitation of Kwara Hotel. When they closed the hotel last year due to poor management, they told Kwarans that the government would like to go for a Public Private partnership , they even employed a company belonging to top APC member to manage the hotel. Again, the government is allocating N17.8billion of tax payers money for the renovation of the same hotel while deceiving kwarans it is planning to rebuild it

We question whether the government intends to demolish and reconstruct new hotel or it is the existing structure that will be gulping N17.8bn for renovation or if undisclosed factors are driving them to project N17.8bn for only Kwara hotel when the state is still lacking in infrastructural and social amenities capable of attracting investors to the state. The people of Kwara deserve transparency and accountability in governance, especially when confronted with such monumental financial decisions by those elected to hold trust for them."

"We maintain that the earlier shutting down of the Hotel, which was handed over by the PDP's administration to Abdulrahman's government in good operational condition, underscores the current government tendency to ruin Kwara state legacy and reverse all progress reocrded before 2019."

"Our Party also vehemently condemns the illegal auctioning of Kwara Hotel properties by the Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led Kwara State Government. This action, undertaken without adhering to due process, is a blatant disregard for transparency and governance norms. What is being labeled by APC APC-led government as an auction appeared to be more of a sponsored looting spree, as the government sidesteps established procedures, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the process and the responsible use of public resources."

"Furthermore, we insist on accountability for the N17 billion kept in a secret bank account for over three years by the Governor, this fund is very important to Kwarans and our Party will resist all attempts to make Kwara forget and turn it into a retirement package for the governor. The lack of transparency surrounding these funds is deeply troubling, and the government must provide a comprehensive and detailed account of how this money has been fairing, the name of the bank it was kept, and how much had accrued over it."

"At a time when citizens are grappling with economic hardships, the government must prioritize the welfare of the people and embark on projects that can directly improve their standards of living. We urge Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to reconsider his stance on the Kwara Hotel and explain to citizens what he plans to do, whether he is demolishing the existing structure to erect a new one or whether it is just a renovation of the existing structure that will gulp N17.8bn."

The PDP remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding the interests of the Kwara people and ensuring that public funds are utilized responsibly by those who hold trust as public officers.

Signed,

*Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments),*
*State Publicity Secretary,*
*Kwara PDP*

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