Date: 2018-08-25

Ahmed Mustapha-Akanbi, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara, says he will prioritise the eradication of poverty if elected in 2019.

Mustapha-Akanbi, who spoke with journalists on Friday in Ilorin, decried the level of poverty in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the aspirant is the son of the late pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, Justice Mustapha Akanbi.

He said: "The major problem in Kwara State is poverty and those who should make life better are not bothered."

The aspirant also described the recent defections of some politicians from the party to the PDP as a blessing to the people of the state.

Mustapha-Akanbi said that the APC in Kwara was now united by a common purpose to salvage the state from 16 years of bad governance.

He added that those who left the party were only interested in personal pursuits, adding that Nigerians could now expect the best of governance from President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, he was moved to contest the governorship position in order to ameliorate the poor living condition of the people.

Mustapha-Akanbi lamented that basic infrastructure in the state had collapsed and in some instances had become dilapidated.

He said: "Each sector in Kwara State is in shambles. No school in the state is qualified for proper education.

"Some schools have closed down for lack of teachers. "There is no more scholarship or bursary for students while people are being impoverished to make them succumb to an individual's domination.

"Teachers are not paid; pensioners are not paid. Empowerment is not done to the advantage of the people, rather it is to further make the people poor."

Mustapha-Akanbi also promised improved living condition for civil servants and teachers in the state.

He assured: "I am coming on board to improve the lives of the people and make things work for the generality of the people of the state. "The affairs of this Kwara State from now should be determined by Kwarans. We need to come together to take our fate in our hands."

He appealed to the people of the state to take advantage of the extension of the Continous Voter Registration to collect their voter cards to enable them to exercise their franchise in 2019.

Mustapha-Akanbi said that the Permanent Voter Card is the only weapon the people of the state have to effect a change in government by voting for candidates of the APC during the elections.