Date: 2015-01-21

Barely three weeks to the conduct of general elections, the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a 217-man campaign council obligated with the responsibility of ensuring the victory of the party in the polls just as Minister of National Planning, Dr Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, challenged the electorate  to stop whipping up religious sentiment in determining who becomes the next governor of the state.

The Minister spoke in Ilorin on Monday after the swearing-in of members of the campaign council chaired by a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Shuaib Oba while an Abuja-based female oil magnate, Hajia Muinat Bola Shagaya, was named Chairman, Campaign Advisory Committee.

He enjoined Kwarans to shun ethnic dichotomy in the interest of growth and development of the state.

Sulaiman warned that the PDP would not condone any act of rigging and urged party members to defend their votes on the day of elections.

The state PDP chairman, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, who inaugurated members of the campaign council, said the party had resolved all internal wrangling occasioned by the recent primaries of the party.

He noted that the PDP would not engage in campaign of calumny but would prioritize constructive criticism to fast-track the development of the state.

Oyedepo, who promised that the party would form an all-inclusive government if elected in the next month’s elections, tasked members of the campaign council to work assiduously for the success of the party.

In his remark, the state PDP governorship candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola, stated that the next month’s elections would usher in a new era of genuine democracy as his party was aiming for landslide victory in the state.

He said his government would focus on four critical areas of development including social-political reform, human resources development, infrastructure and economic development while developmental projects would be funded through public-private-partnership and enhanced internally generated revenue.

He said, “Our campaign may have started rather slowly, but it is now gathering momentum, and very soon the whole state will feel the impact of our message. Our people who have been waiting and yearning for change recognized this election as a great opportunity to usher in a new era of genuine democracy and serious development for our people.

“We must put aside all issues dividing us, we must beg all who need to be begged, reconcile with those who need reconciliation.

We must embrace all and unite by all means. Together we are unbeatable. Our victory will bring restoration, empowerment, patronage and create opportunities for all of us. We must work hard in unity to ensure our victory”, the PDP gubernatorial flag-bearer said.

Other members of the campaign council were the state Governorship candidate of the party and his running mate, Senator Simeon Sule Ajibola and Alhaji Ahmed Yinka Aluko; Minister of National Planning, Dr Abubakar Suleiman; the state chairman of the party, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi, who was appointed Deputy Chairman, Kwara South of the campaign council; Hon Bio Ibrahim (Deputy Chairman, Kwara North); Mr Dele Belgore (Deputy Chairman, Kwara Central); Barrister Segun Olawoyin (Director, Youth Affairs) and Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu (Director, Strategy and Communications) among others.