Date: 2019-02-02

Ahead of the general election, the Federal Government has assured voters in Kwara that it will checkmate political thuggery and other rigging machineries of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and provide level playing ground for all parties. Oshiomole and Saraki The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the assurance on Saturday in Ilorin at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC's)new secretariat and campaign vehicles. Mohammed, the APC leader in the state, said Kwara was witnessing a revolution and mass movement against the Saraki hegemony which had impoverished the state for over 40 years. He said in all the elections to be held in the state, the government would guarantee a level playing ground for all political parties and ensure that no voter is intimidated by political thugs. He assured the teeming supporters of APC at the venue as well as all voters in the state that their votes would count and their desire to end the era of election manipulation and candidates imposition would be realised. "Before now, votes never counted in Kwara, average voters were never allowed to vote because of violence. "Now, we are assuring them that this time around the federal government will ensure a level playing field for all political parties. "When that level playing field is assured, there is no doubt that the will of the people will prevail," he said. The minister added: " What is happening in Kwara today is a mass action and a revolution. "It is not just about campaign because the people of Kwara have decided that they want a change of government because they are tired of the old order. "Go to anywhere in Kwara you hear people saying "O to ge'' – "Enough is Enough". "What we are doing is to ensure that we educate our electorate to make sure that we strengthen and encourage them," he said. The minister who named the new secretariat building, "Unity House", said it is a symbol of unity and a common force to liberate Kwara. He said the edifice and and the dozens of vehicles were donated by Alhaji Yakubu Gobir, one of the Kwara APC governorship aspirants who lost in the primaries. "The significance of this occasion is that one of the aspirants who contested for the governorship ticket and lost is so magnanimous to donate this building for us to use as campaign office. "At the same time, he donated these vehicles for the party's campaigns. "For the donor, it is not about him, but about a bigger picture of how do we liberate Kwara and give the state a new lease of life,. "Another significance of this is that it demonstrated the unity between all the aspirants and all party members. " This showed that despite the fall out of the primaries, the members of the party are united and have resolved that they will not allow the outcome of the primaries to defeat the major objectives which is to liberate the state. "They decided that they will work together to give Kwara a new lease of life by ensuring that responsible, responsive and committed government takes over the mantle of leadership of the state. The minister added that some other prominent members of the party had made similar sactifice including Alhaji ..Makama Alhaji Tajudeen Audu who donated the campaign building for the Buhari/Osinbajo Project. Earlier, Gobir said he donated the campaign office to be used as a rallying point for party members to realise their goal of salvaging Kwara from bad governance. He said the edifice and the vehicles were also a symbol of unity of purpose among all those who contested the party governorship primaries. Gobir enjoined all party members to go to their wards and polling units and campaign vigorously for the success of the party. (NAN)