From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin
The immediate past governor of Kwara state, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has announced that workers of the Subsidy Reinvestment programme (SURE-P) that were “sacked” following their allegiance to the party, will be paid latest by today. (Tuesday).
Saraki, announced the cheering news while addressing the All-Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Oyun local government area of the state during a campaign tour of the area.
“The SURE- P participants that were sacked, I want to assure you we will pay them latest by Tuesday (today), when we would have completed our verification”, he said.
It could be recalled that the Kwara state and the federal government have been at logger heads over alleged politicisation of the scheme in the state following the defection of scores of people from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in the state.
Two coordinators of the scheme in the state, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Olododo (Kwara-Central) and his counter part in Kwara-South, Alh. Kola Shittu, have at different times, alleged that the state co- coordinator of the scheme, Chief Moses Ibeyemi, of replacing the names of PDP members who defected to the APC.
Saraki, while addressing APC members in Oyun, lamented that the federal government had subjected the people of the state to hardship through some of its actions.
He lambasted the Jonathan-led administration for condoning corruption, stressing that public officials under Jonathan were stealing funds, which were supposed to come to state for development.
The former governor said his administration was able to record success under PDP because the administration of the late president Umar Musa Yar’adua, was not corrupt like Jonathan’s.
“All the money that should be going to states for developments is being stolen by those in Abuja and that is why we are in this situation today.
“The achievements we were able to record in the state while I was governor were done during the administration of late president Umar Musa Yar’adua. For us to meet your demands you must vote General Muhammad Buhari (rtd) as president in the coming election; he is the only one that can fix Nigeria”, he stated.
