Date: 2019-02-28

Mallam Sadiq Umar, the senator-elect for Kwara North Senatorial District, says Senate President Bukola Saraki lost his senatorial seat because he was no longer connected with the electorate.

Mr Umar said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ilorin.

The senator-elect, who was reacting to the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, said Mr Saraki's political relevance had always been overrated.

He said that the senate president was able to hold the state in his grips for so long because elections had always been rigged in his favour.

According to him, Kwara has suffered a protracted leadership problem and now they have the opportunity to speak out loudly.

"The victory is an anticipated one and we are very happy about it. Everybody is very happy because it was a very free and fair election. "Kwarans are very clear; enough is enough. They have not had a good leader and those who are ruling Kwara are not giving the best of leadership to the people.

"So the people want a change and we are very happy the electorate have spoken very loudly that they are with APC and all candidates of APC won the elections from Presidential to National Assembly members," he said.

Mr Umar described the development as a new dawn for Kwara, saying all what the citizens had been deprived would be given to them.

"Kwara will see development in infrastructure, employment, empowerment, prompt payment of salary and improvement in salary among others," he said.

He urged the citizens to keep faith with the party and the newly elected representatives, assuring that they would not fail the people.

"My message to them is that there is hope for them. We will never fail them.

"We are aware of the nascent experience in Nigeria, particularly in Kwara. We just have to deliver the goods to the people of Kwara or else there will be a judgment day.

"We are aware of that. We are responsible citizens who came into politics for the purpose of serving our people.

"We are very grateful that they kept the faith. They promised they will support us and they did it overwhelmingly.

"We are going to pay them back with good governance and the best service we can render to them.

"So there is hope in Kwara, particularly in Kwara North that is backward in everything.

"We need to speed and catch up as soon as we can,'' said the newly elected senator. (NAN)