AbdulRazaq used to disburse over N1Billion Zakat annually before becoming governor

Prince Abubakar Suleiman, the Special Adviser on Political Matters to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has claimed that the governor consistently distributed as much as N1 billion annually as Zakat to indigent residents and other beneficiaries across the state long before assuming office in 2019.

Suleiman made the claim while reacting to a challenge thrown by Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, asking supporters of the governor to identify tangible contributions he made to society before becoming governor.

Speaking at an empowerment programme organised by Mallam Lanre Suleiman in Ilorin, the governor’s aide claimed that AbdulRazaq had maintained a longstanding tradition of philanthropy, including annual Zakat distributions running into billions of naira.

Zakat is an obligatory form of charitable giving in Islam through which eligible Muslims donate a prescribed portion of their wealth to the poor, needy and other designated beneficiaries.

According to Suleiman, AbdulRazaq regularly distributed over ₦1 billion every year before becoming governor, with N200 million reportedly allocated to educational support alone, while other substantial sums went into different areas of humanitarian assistance.

“The annual Zakat distribution carried out by AbdulRahman is worth more than N1 billion. The funds are distributed across different sectors, with ₦200 million allocated to education and other amounts directed towards various areas of need,” he claimed.

He further alleged that the governor had sponsored numerous students through primary, secondary and tertiary education, including those pursuing doctoral degrees, before his emergence as governor.

“People are now asking what he achieved before becoming governor. They should go and check the records of the Awaliyatu Commission to find out how many students Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq sponsored, from primary school through secondary school and university, including those pursuing PhD programmes,” Suleiman said.

The political adviser also took a swipe at Senator Mustapha, claiming responsibility for facilitating his emergence as senator in 2023.

“I am the person who facilitated his emergence as a senator in 2023. Anyone who thinks I am lying should come forward and challenge me,” he declared.

He alleged that Mustapha initially pursued the national chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress before returning to his senatorial ambition following unsuccessful consultations.

Suleiman further claimed that several prominent political figures had appealed to Governor AbdulRazaq to support Mustapha’s senatorial nomination.

The governor’s aide threatened to release further details about the circumstances surrounding Mustapha’s emergence as senator as the 2027 general elections approach.

“When it gets to about a week before the election, we will reveal everything,” he said.