By
Isiaka Mogaji
No doubt, the November 18 Local Government elections in Kwara State is no more a news. In the last few days, however, all the All Progressives Congress’, APC’s, candidates have flagged off their electioneering campaign exercises, across the three senatorial districts in the State, a preparatory to ward to ward, street to street, and door to door campaigns by the APC in the State.
Aside from that, all the chairmanship and councillorship canddates and stakeholders within the party have been busy doing remarkable underground works to ensure the success of the APC in the polls.
Series of measures have been taken to ensure total victory for the party in the forthcoming local government elections in the State.
Such measures, include:
● regular holding of stakeholders meetings
● resolving issues within the files and ranks of the party
● paying homage to traditional rulers within their locality for Royal blessings.
● sensitising the electorate, party supporters and sympathisers across the nooks and crannies of the State.
● reviewing their daily activities in order not to leave any stone unturned.
● meeting with interest groups, associations, joints, assemblies, including leaders of labour unions, giving them assurances and renewed hopes.
● while all the leaders and elders in various local governments, have been doing everything humanly possible to ensure that everybody within the party is on the same page.
The APC in the State under the leadership of the Senate President, His Excellency, Dr. Bukola Saraki and His Excellency, the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state, have come to realise the fact that winning elections is not an act of saying all sort of things on the pages of newspapers or become a landlord in radio studios that are available in our milieu.
While am not trying to undermine the power of both print and electronic media in making government more alive to their responsibilities or propagating one’s socio-political or economic ideology, but it’s essential to note that the level of connectivity between the electorate and the political leaders matters slot.
The key stakeholders in Asa Local Government, for instance, on Thursday, last week met in Afon the headquarters of the Local Government and unimaniously resolved to embark on the local government electioneering campaign exercise on Tusday, 13th of November, 2017.
On Tuesday, 14th November, 2017, the APC Kwara Central senatorial Chairman, Alh. Jimoh Adesina led the Risikat Maliq Opakunle campaign train to all the four campaign centres in the area.
They are: Afon, Aboto-Oja, Alapa and Ballah respectively. Each of these centres was agonged for Hajia Risikat Opakunle, the APC chairmanship candidates and her councillorship candidates, indicating that, the people of the area are battle ready to cast their votes for APC in the forthcoming local government elections.
In Ilorin-West, the APC stakeholders have, apparently shown that they are fully on ground. We have seen the mamath crowds in each of the ward visited by the APC chairmanship candidate, Hajia Omodara Aromoke Aminat, his running mate, Alh. Salihu Yusuf Abadaba and all the 12 councillorship candidates in the council area as extra ordinarily remarkable.
The influx of youths, women, market women, artisans, students, including numerous well wishers at the various campaign centres, and which have characterised the Campaign rally and subsequently, ward to ward campaign train of this new breed politician-Omodara Aminat is a testimony pointing to the fact that, the people of Ilorin-West are still fully with the ruling party in the State, APC, under the leadership of Dr. Bukola Saraki.
The story is not different in Ilorin-East, the show of confidence by the electorate to the ruling party in the State, All Progressives Congress, APC, is a glaring testimony pointing to the fact that there is a strong link between the people in the area and All Progressives Congress in the State.
Worthy of note, is the impressive turn out of the party supporters and members to welcome the Chairmanship candidate, Engr.. Abdulmumeen Lah and his councillorship candidates is to say the least, that Ilorin-East Local Government Area belongs to the APC family in the State. Even the people who fall into rural area of the Council have continuously showing their readiness to cast their votes for APC.
Similarly, the story is not different in Ekiti and Offa Local Government Areas, where Yinka Dallas and Badamosi Alias Coach respectively have displayed their political prowess and which was apparently acknowledged by the people of Ekiti and Offa Local Government Councils.
Information reaching the author of this piece is that the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Hassan Oyeleke is leading the Campaign Team in Offa Local Government. This is a good development, considering Oyeleke’s pedigree and acceptability in Offa.
In Isin Local Government, where we have a former party chairman in the area, Prince Ladi Omole as the chairmanship candidate in the forthcoming local government elections, all the necessary democratic electioneering arrangements have reached top gear. The popularity of Prince Omole and his knowledge of the people in the area will aid in clinching the coverted post of the Chairman without much fuss.
Similarly, in Irepodun local government, combined efforts of the stakeholders, party supporters and members have given us ray of hope that the APC chairmanship candidate, Solomon Muyiwa Oladipo will, by God’s grace win the Council election in the area.
The story is not differed in Oke-Ero, Oyun, Kaima, Baruten. Other include, Edu, Patigi and Ifelodun local governments.
Convinced with the leadership of the party in the State, the APP has recorded more members during this On going electioneering campaign exercises across the 16 local governments, arising from defection from People’s Democratic party (PDP) to the ruling party in the State (APC).
Hon. Isiaka Mogaji writes from Ilorin.