Two Ex- THISDAY Staff, Abdullahi, Abdulwahab Join Kwara  Guber Race

By Hammed Shitu in Ilorin

A former editor with THISDAY Newspapers and former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, will this week announce his intention to contest the Kwara State gubernatorial race on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) ahead of next year general election.

 Abdullahi, the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress(APC),  recently resigned his position and built tent with the PDP following the defection of his leader and Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and all political structure of Saraki political dynasty moved to PDP in the state.

 The former minister will officially next Wednesday in Ilorin, the state capital, declare his intention to seek the mandate of the people of the state to govern the ‘State of Harmony’ in 2019.

 Sources close to his campaign group in Ilorin told THISDAY yesterday that arrangement has been finalised to make the event a memorable one.

 The sources added that all the supporters across the 16 local government councils of the state are expected to attend the event.

 Also, a former correspondent of THISDAY Newspaper in the state and former majority leader of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulwahab Kayode, has also joined the state gubernatorial race.

 Abdulwahab has picked the governorship nomination form of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday in Ilorin

 Also, a former member of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Umar, has also obtained the nomination form to contest the Kwara Central senatorial election. 

Other APC aspirants who have obtained their nomination forms are Mrs. Bukola Dada who is gunning for the House of Representatives seat of Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa federal constituency; Hon. Abdulhameed Alli, who is contesting for the House of Representatives seat of Asa/Ilorin West federal constituency and Alhaji Lanre Moruf Olarinoye who is contesting for the Ojomu/Balogun state constituency in the state House of Assembly.

 Commenting on the development, the Chairman of APC in the state, Hon. Ishola Balogun-Fulani, assured all APC aspirants of a level playing ground.  He said the state chapter of the party has adopted direct primary to elect its candidates for all elective offices in accordance with the directive of the party’s national secretariat.

 Balogun- Fulani urged the aspirants to conduct their campaigns in orderly manners and play the game according to its rules.

 He expressed optimism that the APC would emerge victorious in the 2019 general election in the state.