By John Dike, Osogbo
Kwara residents have fiercely criticized the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for describing the ₦70,000 minimum wage being paid by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as “lifeless,” calling the opposition party’s comment hypocritical and insensitive.
The backlash came in response to a recent PDP press statement urging the state’s labour unions to reject the current minimum wage and demand a new review.
Many Kwarans took to social media platforms, including The Guardian Nigeria and Sobi 101.9 FM’s Facebook pages, to express outrage and remind the PDP of its poor track record in workers welfare.
Abdulrasheed Zubair wrote: “This is pure hypocrisy. The PDP should cover their faces in shame, Have they forgotten how they paid geri-gedi (partial) salaries under the Saraki-Ahmed era? Workers were suffering, and the state was on life support. Things have changed significantly today.”
Gboyega Gafar, another commenter, noted, “It’s disappointing that the same party that couldn’t implement a ₦30,000 minimum wage is now attacking a government paying ₦70,000. If they had done the needful while in office, the current administration might have gone even higher.”
Dan Seriki Ibrahim added: “Imagine the irony! A party that couldn’t meet even the basic salary demands is now calling ₦70,000 ‘lifeless.’ That’s rich, coming from a geri-gedi government.”
Another respondent, Nurain Aderoju, questioned the PDP’s moral standing to criticize the current wage structure, reminding the public of the party’s failure to prioritize civil servant welfare during its reign.
A particularly scathing response came from a user named Labulewa: “PDP is a failed party. You destroyed everything—no leave bonuses, no annual steps, amputated salaries, and embarrassing minimum wages. Now you think you can talk? Governor AbdulRahman is doing his best, and we’ll continue to support him.”
The overwhelming public reaction appears to strongly favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with many pledging to vote against the PDP in the upcoming general elections and to mobilize support for APC candidates.
Since being voted out in 2019 due to allegations of mismanagement and high-handedness under the leadership of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and ex-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, the Kwara PDP has struggled to regain political traction. The party suffered a major blow in the most recent local government elections and continues to witness dwindling membership.
With sentiments running high and public perception firmly against the PDP, political analysts say the party faces an uphill battle ahead of the 2027 elections.
