APC Announces Abdulrazaq Kwara Governship Candidate
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced Alhaji Abdulrahaman AbdulRasaq as winner of the Kwara State Governorship Primaries.
Alhaji AbdulRasaq polled 29,098 votes to defeat other aspirants.
Other aspirants scored the following:
Alhaji Yammah Abdullahi – 22,116
Alhaji Lukeman Mustapha – 14,233
Prof.Oba Abu – 23,298
Alhaji Hakeem Lawal – 18,758
Alhaji Mooshood Murtala – 9,511
Isaq Modibbo Kawu – 5,060
Alhaji Yakubu Gobar – 2,420
Tajudeen Makama Audu – 3,127
SIGNED:
Mr. Yekini Nabena
Ag. National Publicity Secretary
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We Accept APC’s Decision, though We Witness Irregularities- Lukman Mustapha, Kwara APC Gubernatorial Aspirant
I stand here deeply humbled as a passionate Kwaran, having reviewed the journey so far, with the love and acceptance I got from across the length and breadth of the State, I am reinvigorated and left with no regret of the well thought out decision we took to throw our hat into the gubernatorial contest with a deep conviction that we have the technical know-how, contact and understanding of the plethora of artificial challenges militating against the realization of a Kwara we all can be proud of.
I was never under the illusion that the journey would be a smooth ride, it was envisaged that with the Nigerian mode of politics and politicking, the path will be laced with mudslinging, character assassination amongst others, yet we closed our eyes to these challenges, based on the truism that nothing good comes easy and nothing is too big to sacrifice towards rescuing the State from the violent and forceful grip of the heartless political hegemony that have intentionally and systematically impoverished majority of Kwarans.
We toured the entire State, journeying through the length and breadth of the State, coming in contact with dejection, abject poverty and neglect, dilapidated, decayed and at some places non-existent infrastructure and completely absent government presence. The Rebirth vision was a consequence of this miserable reality facing the good people of Kwara State.
The Gubernatorial primary election which eventually took place on Saturday after series of uncertainties surrounding the date, mode and eligibility. It is a fact that the exercise was fraught with several avoidable and artificial irregularities, which is a clear negation on our much flaunted democratic and progressive credentials. It must be emphasized that our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) must quickly put in place machineries to guide against future reoccurrence of such show of shame.
I must admit the large turnout was highly encouraging and a pointer to the renewed political awareness of Kwarans. It is a clear reassurance that the Kwara of our dreams is achievable with consistency, unrelenting and vociferous advocacy for good governance which will help birth a responsive and responsible pro-people government, that’ll be accountable to no one but the electorates.
For the records, our great party the APC that prides itself as the progressives party, ought to have done better with the process culminating in the Saturday primaries where not until after the commencement of the primaries, the list of the cleared aspirants were not released to not even the aspirants talkless of the numerous party faithful and the generality of Kwarans who’s interest and prayers was with our party hoping we’ll organize a faultless and non-acrimonious selection process that will be acceptable to all stakeholders and in consonance with worldwide best practices.
However, the Saturday exercise was a far cry from what was expected from a progressive party. The process started on a faulty footing with serial postponement without official communication from the party leadership, yet in the spirit of party unity and cohesion all the lapses were overlooked for the bigger picture.
According to reports from our agents on the field, majority of the local governments in Kwara South and Kwara North merely witnessed the callous hijack of the process by so-called party leaders, who sat down and just awarded scores to aspirants as it catches there fancy, which strictly based on the highest bidder, what we witnessed on Saturday was nothing but vote auctioning. This act is unacceptable in any sane clime and I therefore condemn it in the strongest terms possible.
I stand here today in the full glare of the world to affirm that the exercise was laced with sharp practices, lack of organization, faulty and embarrassing process thereby depriving us of victory as we were clearly the most popular aspirant with wide acceptance, especially on the street. This has deprived us of implementing our well researched blueprint, which would have turned Kwara around for good across all sectors.
Our vision of 5 fingers of Rebirth, woven around provision of Water, Economic Growth & prosperity, rejuvenation of our Physical Infrastructure, provision of efficient, affordable and accessible Health services and Education & Youth Engagement has unfortunately been met with a stumbling block of unbefitting electoral process and prioritization of immediate gains that wouldn’t last us a day over years of benevolent governance for the people which is our ultimate goal.
However, regardless of the fact that we were hedged out of the gubernatorial race by irregularities and electoral malpractices, we can never be hedged out of the struggle to achieve a Kwara that works for all. We appreciate the fact that what binds us together, which is birthing a truly prosperous Kwara for the benefit of all is far greater than what may break us apart. It is consequent upon this that I Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha state on behalf of all members of the Rebirth movement that we respect the supremacy of our party and accept the outcome of the primaries in good faith.
We understand that in every contest, there will always be a winner and vanquish. In this case however, we are all winners as we are poised and remain committed to winning Kwara state for Kwarans. I appeal to all my compatriots in this struggle to accept the outcome in good faith and let us rededicate ourselves by standing firm for the party and the ultimate goal of emancipating the people of the State from the current hegemony that has held our State on the jugular for decades.
I use this opportunity to promise, Kwarans that I will remain dedicated to the course we have preached and both in my private and public life, fight for the betterment of the impoverish Kwarans. I will remain a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contribute my quota towards ensuring our great party emerges victorious across boards.
Finally, I want to sincerely appreciate our Relationship Managers, Rebirth Ambassadors, LM Freedom Squad, across the 193 Wards of the State, various Clubs & Associations that have identified with us, loyal party elders and other teeming supporters, who toiled day and night selling the Rebirth ideology, which helped made ours the most discussed aspiration in Kwara and beyond. I enjoin you all to continue to live and dine with the Rebirth ideology as ours was never hedged on our getting the ticket, rather it was evangelized as an ideology which is expected to outlive us all.
Signed
LUKMAN OLAYIWOLA MUSTAPHA
All Progressives Congress (APC), Gubernatorial Aspirant
Kwara State
