TheCable

Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of sports, has declared his bid to contest the governorship election of Kwara state.

Abdullahi, a former spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

He declared his intention to run at an event in Ilorin, the state capital, on Wednesday, promising to give opportunity to children of the poor if elected.

Abdullahi said he was inspired to join the race because of his passion to provide purposeful and impactful leadership.

“The greatest investment the government can make is to make the youth productive. That’s why my number one, two and three agenda is on youth development. Because if we do not solve the problem of the youth, we cannot talk about development,” Abdullahi said.

“The vast majority of our population are young people, to harness their potentials we must provide them with quality education. When we were young, my sister and I used to hawk fufu on the streets of Ilorin.

“We were poor. I went to LSMB primary school at Oke Anifowoshe. The same school we went to today cannot give quality education. All I want is for the children of the poor to have the same opportunity as I did and have the chance to become someone of influence.”

On his part, Abiodun Asonloko, chairman of the Abdullahi campaign Organisation, said he is the first governorship aspirant to make his manifesto known before becoming a candidate.

“Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi is the first gubernatorial aspirant that made his manifesto available even before he becomes the candidate of the party,” Asonloko said.

“This is an indication of good things in the offing for Kwara State.”