By Demola Akinyemi

As the 2023 general elections beckon, and politicians are building on their past antecedents to gain electoral advantage, the murky waters of politics is also sabotaging  every good intention that is meant for public good.

The long abandoned Health facility in Ubandawaki in Ilorin West local government area of Kwara state that has been jointly fixed by Saliu Mustapha Foundation and Kwara state government has suddenly become controversial because of the political season.

Ubandawaki, where many prominent politicians came from including the current Kwara Central senatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi is also among the first three major wards in Ilorin West local government.

 The eight polling units in Ubandawaki ward are ,Ojude Ubandawaki, Ojude Aladire, Govt Girls’ Day Sec Sch Oke Ebo, L.G.E A Sch and Ode Alaya.The rest are Barakat L.G.E.A Sch, Madi Village and Anifowose Open Space.

Whereas, Vanguard reliably gathered that the health facility, which comprises eight rooms  was constructed for the use of the people of Ubandawaki during the administration of late Mohammed Alabi Lawal who was the governor of the state  between 1999 and 2003.

The project however became abandoned over the failure of Governor Lawal to secure second term as a result  of the protracted power struggle between him and his  political godfather, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki,who during the squabble  defected from the then ruling All Peoples Party(APP) in the state and joined the then party at the central, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Oloye as the political godfather was fondly called by his teaming supporters consequently withdrew his support and backed   his son, Dr Bukola Saraki who won on the platform of PDP and also abandoned  the facility.

Since 2003,the abandoned health facility  became hideout for suspected  criminals and constituted a state of insecurity to residents, while all manners of meetings used to  take place there.

Vanguard also gathered that during the tenure of Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi as minister of sports, when Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the  ruling party, his allies in Ubandawaki rallied together to renovate the facility to make it habitable just for holding meetings.

By implication, that was how supporters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were said to have started holding meetings there until May 2019 when the party lost the state under the  “O toge” political movement to the APC, now the ruling party .

Vanguard also gathered that members of the ruling APC in Ubandawaki had to chase supporters of PDP, being members  of the opposition from further  using the bungalow during  one of the meetings being a government property and consequently alerted the state government of the development.

It was further gathered that the health facility returned to a state of moribund after members of PDP had been chased away from the place, prompting the residents to send SOS to philanthropists and other stakeholders in the ward to come to their rescue.

In October 2022,Saliu Mustapha Foundation among others responded  and promised to renovate the facility .

The foundation partnered with the Kwara state government being the owner, for the supply of equipment and deployment of health workers.

“We reached out to our local government leadership but they didn’t respond, but Saliu Mustapha Foundation, responded and later the state which opted to partner with the foundation to refurbish the facility which they have already done, “said one of the stakeholders in Ubandawaki 

The project supervisor, Engr. Sayi Murtala, also said that the exercise was done in response to the numerous requests and complaints of residents of the areas.

Also copies of letters obtained by this medium showed the state government’s enthusiasm to revive such a project and its nod for the foundation’s requests.

In one of the letters issued on behalf of Kwara state commissioner for health, which was dated November 4, it was stated that some health workers have been deployed to the facility.

“I am further directed to inform you that this facility is and will continue to be the property of the Kwara State Government, hence the Ministry should be duly acquainted with the details of your support and intervention.

“Also be informed that the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency has deployed some Staff and Medical Consumables for the Facility to function. You are therefore required to cooperate with them to ensure sustained service delivery in the Facility,” the letter read in parts.

It should be noted that the Management of  Saliu Mustapha Foundation recently announced the completion of work on the renovation of Ubandawaki Health Center.

“The renovation work, which lasted barely two months, was carried out with the full participation of the Kwara State Ministry of Health. With the successful completion of the project, the people of Ubandawaki would now have the use of the health facility which was first initiated by the government of late Governor Mohammed Alabi Lawal,” the statement from the nonprofit  organisation stated.

The foundation emphasised its deep commitment to the overall welfare and wellbeing of the people at all times, noting its resolve to prioritise access to quality health care by all.

Meanwhile, the state government has already taken over the facility as medical equipment had been sent while  staff have also been deployed  to the place .

It simply means that the facility has now fulfilled the original purpose for which it was originally  constructed, its no more a place for criminal  hideout  and other illegal  usage that were the order of the day years back.”said a resident in Ubandawaki who craved anonymity  

This is just one of many interventions of the Kwara Central Senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in the forth coming  general elections, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, through his foundation Saliu Mustapha Foundation

The Foundation had long before  now been involved in several scholarship programme, and various community supports projects among other vision for  residents in the state  .

Mallam Mustapha 50, a successful  businessman was a frontline aspirant in the last national Chairmanship contest of the APC where he narrowly  lost to Senator Abdullahi Adamu before his current political adventure.

Appreciation and accolades have continued to pour in for Mustapha over the rehabilitation of the health facility, which residents said had been long abandoned .

The President of Ubandawaki Youth Development Association Mallam Muritala Alowonle Apatapiti, also commended the initiative in an appreciation letter obtained by Vanguard.

The letter reads, “On behalf of the Youths of Ubandawaki. I, Muritala Alowonle, the president of Ubandawaki Youths Development Association (UYDA) wish to express our profound gratitude to the Senatorial candidate of APC, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, for assisting the community to return the  abandoned facility to its initial designated purpose.

“Built by late Gov. Muhammed Alabi Lawal, the building which is situated at Alaaya Olowo Compound was designed to be used as a primary healthcare center,

“Mallam Mustapha in his act of generosity has assisted us to renovate the facility and equip it with modern medical equipments. The facility when opened, will improve access to medical services within the community. This goes beyond politics, as the hospital will be accessed by every member of the community without any political affinity.

“I also want to used this medium to appeal to other well-to-do individuals within and outside Ubandawaki Pakata to emulate this humanitarian gesture of Mallam Saliu Mustapha in the act of giving back to the community. We have many unemployed youths and the aged whose lives can be improved through empowerment of various forms. We would be glad to see these happened in the nearest future.

“Once again on behalf of entire members of Ubandawaki Youths Development Association, i appreciate Mallam Saliu Mustapha, and I pray that almighty God will grant all his heart desire, amen, “it concluded

Also,James Adeniji, an Ilorin-based development expert stated that while Mustapha’s contribution to development of infrastructure is laudable, the fact that the APC candidate did not cherry pick beneficiaries of these projects is noteworthy.

“We’ve had cases in the past where political office holders decide the part of the state that will benefit from projects and all. Mallam Mustapha’s case is rare,” he said.

It also shows that if elected, he’d carry everybody, even his traducers, along. “That is how governance should be,”  the development expert reiterated.

The Team lead of a Kwara-based think tank, Kwara Development Initiative, opined that the foundation has focused on issues that are neglected by many.

“The issue of health and infrastructure is germane when talking about development. It is good that that is what the foundation is focused on. If we have more of this initiative around, it will help raise our development indices.”

However, the spokesperson of the PDP in the state, Hon. Tunji Moronfoye, denied knowledge of the conversion of the health facility to the PDP secretariat.

“I have no idea about the conversion of a healthcare facility to PDP secretariat. How does that sound to you?” he said.

He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of spreading misinformation and propaganda.

“They have forgotten that you can win elections by propaganda but cannot rule by propaganda.”