Political heavyweights and stalwarts of the Kwara State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP stormed the venue of the inauguration of the party’s campaign council last Saturday and literarily lit up the arena in grand style.
Aside the gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Hakeem Oladimeji Lawal and his beautiful wife, Habiba, other bigwigs especially, the party’s senatorial and House of Reps candidates arrested the attention of the teeming party faithful with the manner of their entry and the colourful parade displayed by their supporters.
These “crowd pulling stars” include Alhaji Adamu Attahiru Manko (Kwara North Senatorial Candidate); Prof. Wale Suleiman (Kwara South Senatorial Candidate); Dr. Ridwan Apaokagi (Kwara Central Senatorial Candidate)Alhaji Ganiyu Cook Olododo (Rep. Kwara Central Rep. Candidate); and Prince Saheed Popoola (Rep. Kwara South Rep. Candidate).
Others include Otunba Gani Subair, the House of Reps candidate for Oke Ero, Irepodun, Ekiti and Isin Constituency and Hon. Ismaila Abayomi, the Reps candidate for Ilorin West, Asa Federal Constituency.
For instance, Cook’s entry was heralded by frenzied dance and song by his poster carrying supporters. Dressed in a white Agbada robe, as Cook moved round the arena to greet and acknowledge greetings from the crowd, the tempo of the excitement increased until he got to his seat reserved for him and embraced Architect Kale Belgore, the DG (Operations) of the Campaign Council.
The same scene re-occurred when Alhaji Manko, Dr Apaokagi and their enthusiastic entourage ‘stormed’ the venue. The duo of Professor Suleiman and Prince Popoola, who had earlier been at a different political engagement, came later and ignited the same passion with their jubilant supporters who accompanied them.
One after the other, they addressed the crowd of supporters and enjoined them keep faith with SDP and all its candidates as we moved closer to the 2023 elections.
Manko, described as the “Emancipator” assured the people of commitment on his promise to give quality representatives to his constituency and deliver the vote of his senatorial districts to the party. Cook, Suleiman, Apaokagi and Popoola also spoke in the same vein, stressing the fact the SDP remains the best route for the Kwarans to get to the much desired Promised Land.
The elated crowd responded with loud cheers in appreciation of these leaders, promising to kept faith with their resolve to follow the path of truth. One of the party faithful from Kwara North describe Manko “as the credible candidate and the Emancipator of Kwara North masses, who is ready to work for people of Kwara North.”
“As representative of good and decent people of Kwara North, he will seek the benefit and welfare of all of us. He has experience, he has character and integrity and he is prepared and he is ready to serve,” the supporter added.
Cook, according to one of his admirer at the event, “has always been a grass root man, in tune with the electorates and his constituents. He had definitively mastered the art of representative democracy both in practice and in context.”
The supporter recalled that Cook was once the Chairman, Ilorin East Local Government, where he performed exceedingly well, bringing some legacy project to his constituents, some of which are still in use presently.
“His passion and pedigree are unmatched. These unparalleled and unique attributes of his were to propel him to deliver more, as his constituents urged him to contest the Federal House of Representatives elections which he won. As member representing Ilorin East and South Federal Constituency, he is in a familiar terrain, he only continued where he stopped,” she added.
On his part, Professor Wale Suleiman (CON) is described as “the best and competent candidate that can represent the good people of Kwara South.” Suleiman, the recent recipient of National honour of Commander of the order of the Niger (CON) is the CEO, RNZ Global Limited and President RNZ Foundation.
The national award comes barely a year after the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) recognized the Physician Executive as one of the NIDCOM +600 Diaspora Icons @ 60.
