Razaq Bamidele
A political organiations, the Razaq Kolade Olokoba Network Groups has explained reason for its last Thursday’s storming of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, saying, “the political siege to the ancient city was for triple purposes.
Disclosing the motive behind the siege through a statement from its Founder and Convener, Comrade Razaq Kolade Olokoba, the Foundation said the major reason for the rally was to endorse and seek supports for three major candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state.
According to the statement, the three candidates are; the Senatorial Candidate for the Kwara Central District, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, the sitting Governor, Alhaji AbdurRahman AbdurRazaq and the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying, “the three candidates, by our assessment are eminently qualified for the positions they are yearning to occupy.”
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And true to its mission, the city of Ilorin, was actually agog last Thursday when some popular Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) within the coalition across the nation and beyond besieged the city for official and formal endorsement of the senatorial aspiration of Mallam Saliu Mustapha for Kwara Central District, second term ambition of Governor AbdurRazaq and presidencial bid of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
It is no longer news that a technocrat and philanthropist, Mallam Saliu Mustapha has emerged the Kwara Central Senatorial District senatorial candidate on the ticket of the APC for the next year, 2023 general election.
The arrowhead of the rally, Razaq Kolade Olokoba (RKO), political Network Groups, the Kwara Central Volunteers for Saliu Mustapha Senatorial ambition and Coalition of several other Civil Society Groups among others were in attendance making remarks, speeches and goodwill messages about the qualities that make the three candidates tower shoulder high than other contestants that eyed the same positions.
In his opening remarks when setting rolling the ball of the event before a mammoth crowd at the Hall B of the Kwara Hotel venue of the occasion, the Convener and leader of the CSOs, Comrade Razaq Olokoba disclosed that, the occasion was the official and formal endorsement of the candidature of the three mentioned candidates and to assure them of the Coalition’s unflinching support particularly for Mallam Saliu Mustapha’s senatorial ambition.
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According to him, all the members are prepared to galvanize support for him by canvassing for votes for him to become the distinguished Senator representing people of the Kwara Central in the senate from 2023, stating that, “our support for him is never borne out of any pecuniary gain but for the good and benefit of the generality of the people of the district in particular and the whole of Kwara State as a whole.”
Olokoba, who is also the National President of the Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG), asserted that, “our interest in Saliu Mustapha is not just a yesterday’s thing but because we have been monitoring his private and public conducts for a long time and we have realised that he is a trust-worthy personality who can be entrusted with responsibilities and he will not betray trust or disappoint.”
The plan to stage the rally, according to Olokoba was to serve as support for Mallam Saliu Mustapha’s senatorial aspiration, endorsement of a second term in office of Governor Abdur-Rahman Abdur-Razaq and Presidential ambition of the former Lagos State governor and the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, promising to mobilise widely for voters to cement their aspirations during the coming 2023 general elections.
Dignitaries in attendance at the events were; Director-General (DG), Saliu Mustapha Foundation, Adebayo Ambali, Alhaji Mahmud Turawa (APC senatorial Chairman Kwara Central District), Alhaja Tawa Agaka (APC Senatorial woman leader Kwara Central),Comrade Habeeb lawal (Ilorin East APC Party chairman), Mallam Sheu Yahaya (Asa LG APC party Chairman), Mallam Jaji: (Ilorin South APC party Chairman), Mallam Sulyman Tejidini (Ilorin West APC party Chairman) and Abdullahi BabaGobir (APC Gambari ward 2) who also doubles as Chairman of chairmen throughout of Kwara State.
Also in attendance were; Representative of Tricycle Riders Prince Omotosho Shuaib, Representative Okada Rider, Abdulganiyu Ladan, Artian representative, Abdur-Razaq Saheed, Representative of Ojagboro Youth Development Association, Usman Sulaieman, representative of Balogun Gambari Development Association, Wasiu Adebayo, representative of Ilorin Development Progressive Union (IDPU), Mallam Imam Abdulraheem and Babapupa AbdulLateef who represented the students as well as Mrs Abiodun, who represented the People Living with Disability.
The rest were Mallam Nasiru Ubaidu representative of Hausa Community, Gambari branch in Ilorin East Local Government, Ajose Wa Okada Riders Association Ilorin East led by Mallam Yusuf Alabi, Iyaloja General, Alhaja Sidikat Akaje while the Igbo Community was led by Mazi Emeka Emmanuel and Eze Ndubisi.