Date: 2018-07-24

A House of Representatives aspirant from Kwara, Abdulraheem Ajulo-Opin, has advised Nigerians, especially eligible voters, to refrain from the act of exchanging their votes for monetary gains.

Ajulo-Opin gave the advice in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area, while declaring his intention to contest for the National Assembly seat for Kwara South Federal Constituency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seat comprises Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-Ero Federal Constituency.

Ajulo-Opin was at his 002 polling booth of Olupo-Odo Compound in Aran Ward of the council to seek the blessing of the electorate on the ticket of APC.

He said the electorate should rather consider the genuineness and quality of the manifestoes presented by the aspirants as the basis for entrusting and casting their votes.

Ajulo-Opin described the allegations of vote-buying and selling that characterised the recent governorship election in Ekiti as undemocratic and alien to the nation's democratic system.

He said the trend, if not properly checked, could be a stumbling block to achieving the desire free, fair and credible elections come 2019.

"I want to advise our people to do away with money politics and should be upright in exercising their franchise.

"We should rather follow our conscience by asking for the manifestoes of each aspirant to know what they have got to offer us as the basis for releasing our votes,"Ajulo-Opin said.

The aspirant said although, there were challenges in the ruling APC, expressed optimism that the party would come out stronger, united and better positioned.

"It is no longer news that the party has been dealing with some internal challenges, especially after the congresses.

"But with all sincerity of purpose, the party is going to whether the storm and come out stronger and well positioned ahead of the general elections," he said.

Ajulo-Opin said his declaration was informed by his chosen political ideology and direction hinged on closeness and accessibility to people at the grassroots.

"The motive is simple; I need to start from home, I wouldn't have come out if my people had said no.

"They encourage me, pray for me and gave me their total support as far as this journey is concerned

"The large attendance of our party members at the declaration is enough indication of their acceptability," he said.

Ajulo-Opin, who pledged to prioritise improvement of the living standard of the people if elected, expressed urgent need for improvement in education and human capital development at the grassroots. "Our people, especially at the grassroots, are in dire need of real empowerment that will transform their lives and in addition affect the lives of others.

Not the kind of empowerment you give Okada or grinding machines to a group of people which they will sell at the end of the day," he said.

Mall Abdulraheem Agboola and Mr Jimoh Adeoti, both elders of Olupo-Odo compound, expressed the support of the people toward actualizing Ajulo-Opin's ambition as a member of the 9th National Assembly.

"We are giving him our encouragement, prayers and total support and solidly behind him as regard his ambition.

"He has been of help and assistance to his followers and the community, through provision of bore holes and other incentives and this is just a payback time for him to realize his ambition," they said.