By Olugbenga Salami
As the Kwara State government prepares to hold local government elections this year, a former Transition Implementation Committee, TIC chairman of Ilorin West Local Government, Hon. Abdul-Hameed Oladipupo Alli, also known as Mr. Nigeria, has indicated interest to contest as executive chairman of the same council under the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has since forwarded seven names to the Kwara State House of Assembly for screening and approval as the chairman and members of the State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC for the purpose of the poll.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, Alli promised to run an issue-based campaign and ensure further development of the local government area if he wins the ticket of his party.
Specifically, he promised to focus on good governance, infrastructural development, youth empowerment, unity, peace and security of the council area if voted into office.
To achieve his goals, the aspirant said traditional rulers, party leaders/elders would always be consulted for their inputs, saying he has the required experience to lead the local government area having served as the TIC chairman and performed well to the best of his ability within a very short time in office.
“I will run an all inclusive government where our traditional rulers, party leaders, elders and other relevant stakeholders will have pride of place. Our youths and women will also not be neglected, because we will initiate support programmes to empower and provide jobs for them to further improve their standards of living,” he stressed.
Alli, who commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his achievements in roads infrastructure, healthcare, education, youth employment/empowerment, etc, further promised that his administration, if given the chance, would add its value of making the local government area a worthy place to live, invest and do business by the people.
A trained journalist and career publisher, the aspirant served as a TIC chairman for a period of six months between November 2016 and May 2017, leaving behind an enviable track records of performance under his Transformation Agenda.
Alli, who is a product of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Ogba in Ikeja, Lagos State, is the publisher of Kwara People and NIMMA International Magazine, made history of becoming the Nigeria’s youngest publisher and Africa’s foremost teenage publisher in 1990 at the age of 16 when he single- handedly published a MORAL Magazine.
Meanwhile, the aspirant has appointed a veteran journalist, Mr. Olugbenga Salami as a media consultant to his Transformation Continues Project.
Salami, who is presently an Assistant Editor with the Nigerian Pilot newspaper, Abuja, was formerly the News Editor of The Herald on Sunday newspapers in Ilorin.
He expresses high hope that with the level of exposure already acquired by the aspirant, there is no doubt that Governor AbdulRazaq and APC leaders will not regret leaving the transformation of Ilorin West Local Government in his care to continue and effectively deliver.
