TheCable

Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of youth and sports, has declared his intention to run for the Kwara central senatorial seat.

Abdullahi made his intention known on Monday when he visited the office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Ilorin, Kwara state capital.

Bukola Saraki, a former president of the senate, is from the senatorial district.

Yahaya Oloriegbe, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), currently holds the seat.

The former minister said he is running for the seat because 2023 is an opportunity for Nigeria to “hit the reset button”.

According to him, citizens can no longer afford the luxury of “incompetence and empty showmanship”.

“We can no longer afford the luxury of incompetence, empty showmanship, ruinous partisanship or suicidal indifference. This is the time for every citizen who has something to contribute to come forward. Our country desperately calls us out,” he said.

“When I am elected senator, I would be bringing to the legislative chamber of our country a wide range of experience as a journalist, a civil society activist, development specialist, a public servant and a party man.

“I will deploy all the talents and capacity that it has pleased Allah to bless me with to work with other patriots to create a better Nigeria for us all and a great country for the coming generation.”

Abdullahi said he has the requirements to lead because he has garnered experience from being in public service for almost two decades.

The former minister currently runs the Bolaji Abdullahi Mentorship Programme which is targeted at empowering Nigerian youths.