Kwara revenue controversy deepens as PDP accuses AbdulRazaq’s administration of wasteful spending, while APC defends its record of development and reform.
Kwara revenue controversy escalated on Wednesday as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) traded accusations over the management of the state’s increasing income from the Federation Account and internally generated revenue (IGR).
Also read: Kwara PDP accuses Governor AbdulRazaq of leadership failure
The PDP alleged that despite the “unprecedented allocations” over the past two years, living standards in Kwara State have continued to decline under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
It accused the government of opaque spending, misplaced priorities, and failure to deliver tangible improvements.
Olusegun Adewara, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary in Kwara, described the administration’s performance as “utterly disappointing,” stating that residents were not seeing the benefits of increased revenue.
“Kwara is being run like a Bet9ja shop where only the governor is the Perm and the Sec,” he said.
According to Adewara, growing poverty, decaying infrastructure, and low civil service morale remain prevalent.
He questioned why the state still pays Grade Level 8 civil servants ₦73,000 when states like Imo offer a ₦104,000 minimum wage.
Citing official records, the PDP also alleged wasteful spending on the governor’s travels and conveniences.
“Over ₦2 billion was spent on travel and convoy fuelling in just nine months of 2023. And ₦1 billion on recharge cards and trips in the first quarter of 2025 alone,” Adewara claimed.
He further criticised the cost of ongoing capital projects, citing the ₦30 billion renovation of the Kwara Hotel, allegedly awarded despite earlier bids as low as ₦5 billion.
“These are white elephant projects used to siphon public funds,” he added, calling the state’s garment factory project “another waste.”
But the APC government dismissed the allegations, describing them as “politically motivated falsehoods.”
Speaking to The PUNCH, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Communication, Abdullateef Ibrahim, defended the administration’s record, calling it “transparent, prudent, and people-focused.”
He credited AbdulRazaq with introducing reforms that previous administrations failed to deliver, including twice implementing the minimum wage, clearing pension arrears, and launching infrastructure projects across the state.
“The PDP could not pay ₦30,000 or even teachers’ promotions from 2017. We’ve cleared all that,” Ibrahim said.
He pointed to roads in Ilemona-Ojoku, Omu-Aran, and Alabe–Oreke, as well as reforms in education, such as scrapping PTA levies in public primary schools and approving 2025 promotion exams for TESCOM teachers.
According to Ibrahim, the Kwara revenue controversy is a deliberate attempt to distract from the progress made.
“The people are feeling the impact of the governor’s performance. The PDP should take notes on real governance.”
With both parties digging in, the controversy has become a microcosm of Nigeria’s wider governance debates — between reforms, spending priorities, and citizen impact.
Also read: Kwara State Reports Improved BECE Results, Rising Female Enrollment
As the Kwara revenue controversy continues, the people of Kwara will be watching whether increased income truly delivers improved livelihoods, or if political bickering continues to overshadow progress.
