The gubernatorial ambition of Alhaji Hakeem Oladimeji Lawal, the Social Democratic Party, SDP governorship candidate in the Kwara State 2023 election got a massive boost on Thursday as the ship of the ongoing consultative meeting with stakeholders and party supporters berthed in Kaima, the headquarters of Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.
While receiving the team in his palace, the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Shehu Muazu Omar recalled the good deeds of the former governor Mohammed Alabi Lawal, the father of SDP candidate who ruled the State twenty years ago, and declared that Kaiama people will reciprocate the good deeds and back Hakeem Lawal because there are not Ingrates.
“We are not Ingrates. We should seek Allah support for you. Kaiama is fully behind you…and God will assist you and back your gubernatorial ambition,” the Emir said before he proceeded with his royal blessings and prayers for the candidate.
In his response, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal thanked the Emir and noted that since his Late father was an adopted son of the Emir, it is right to refer to him as a Prince of Kaiama.
According to him, “I came before you, the way my father came before your father. My root is in Kaiama, when I become the governor, it is Kaiama that is on the throne. I will follow the footsteps of my father in terms of fairness and justice. What we seek is continuous God’s guidance to rule Kwara state very well.”
After the event at the palace, the team proceeded to meet with stakeholders and groups comprising artisans, market women, youths and transport workers.
In his remarks at the meeting, Alhaji Lawal restated his four point agenda and roadmap of transforming the state in the areas of Education, Agriculture, Infrastructure and Human Capital Development.
According to him, “My focus is to change the policy on Education, with emphasis on Science and Technology to drive our youths to become global citizens.”
The gubernatorial candidate also told the gathering that the “State is blessed with many Agriculture Belts, adding that “for instance, we had Rice and Sugar Belts in Patigi, Cotton Belt in Baruten and Cocoa Belt in Irepodun Ekiti, Oke Ero in Kwara South.”
He equally promised the sector will be modernized to maximize the full potentials of the sector for greater returns to the farmer in order to make farming attractive to both the old and the young. “We will encourage the farmers to form co-operatives and form enterprises to work on large farms. Government he said, will also form marketing Company like in the days of Late Sadauna in Northern Nigeria, to maximize profit to our farmers.”
“Our discussion today is a covenant between us. The two parties must do their part. When you vote for us, it becomes a debt for us to do our part too. I can assure you that we will deploy Kwara resources for Kwarans and strive to restore the glory of the State,” he said.
Meanwhile the Kaiama outing by the SDP has set off the panic mode in the camp of the opposition, especially in the ruling All Progressive Congress.
Reports from Kaiama indicate that the royal blessing by the Emir and the reception by the generality of the people actually sent a shock wave to the APC contestants in the area, as they deploy their agents and thugs to move round the town to deface the posters pasted by the SDP with the posters of their Senatorial candidate.
