2023: Ilorin Youth Beg Prof. Oba To Drop Guber Aspiration, Join Senatorial Race
Ahead of the primaries of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kwara State, a group of Concerned Ilorin Youths have appealed to Prof. Abdulraheem Shuiab Oba to shelve his governorship ambition and join the Kwara Central Senatorial race.
The youths made the call on Friday morning when they staged a walk to the Secretariat of the Kwara SDP in Ilorin, the State capital. They carried placards with various inscriptions like 'Prof. Oba, please drop your guber ambition, go for Kwara Central Senatorial race', 'Your influence not beyond Kwara Central, go for Senate', 'We love you but we want you to go for Kwara Central Senatorial election', 'Kwara Central Youth appeal to Prof. Oba to go 4 Senate'.
The group noted that like every other governorship aspirant of the SDP, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin has the capacity to govern Kwara, it however said that the current political exigencies in the State would make it difficult for him to win the gubernatorial election.
Speaking to newsmen during the rally, the head of the group, an Ilorin-based lawyer, Barrister Y.A Obalowu, said that after a wide consultation with critical stakeholders within the SDP and across the state, the group realised fielding Prof. Oba as the governorship candidate would hinder the chances of the party at the poll.
He explained that this is due to the fact that the fact that the former Chairman of the Federal Character Commission does not have the financial war chest to prosecute the electioneering campaigns and that his influence is limited to Kwara Central.
Obalowu said "there is no doubt about Prof. Oba's character and capacity to govern our State but after weeks of consultation with critical stakeholders in the SDP and across Kwara, we realised that fielding him as the candidate of the party will hinder the chances of the party to win the election.
"This is because he (Prof. Oba) does not have the financial wherewithal to finance an election of this calbire, and we all know that elections like that of governorship requires huge funds. More so, his reach and influence is limited to Kwara Central.
"This is why we are appealing to him to drop his governorship aspiration and join the Kwara Central Senatorial race. We are confident that with his antecedents, pedigree and influence within the senatorial district, he will emerge victorious in the election. Not even a President Muhammadu Buhari will win an election against him in Kwara Central. This tells you how much he's loved here.
"It is our hope that he will consider our plea and take up the SDP nomination forms for the Kwara Central Senatorial election."
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