Date: 2018-08-27

Hon. Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-Opin, a House of Representative aspirant from Kwara State, has pledged to prioritize promotion of education and human capital development toward the well-being of the people if elected into office when.

Ajulo-Opin made assertion while addressing members of his All Progressive Congress party (APC), forum in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government area of Kwara on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ajulo-Opin had few weeks ago declared his intention to run for the Kwara South Federal Constituency slot in the coming general elections under the APC. He also took a shot at the same position in the last 2015 general elections.

The slot comprised of Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-Ero Federal Constituency.

Ajulo-Opin noted that there was urgent need to reduce the level of illiteracy among the people, especially at the grassroots, for them to be abreast of global technological breakthrough and development in critical sectors of governance.

He said the people in various towns and communities are in dire need of developmental projects and empowerment to improve upon their purchasing power.

"Our people, especially at the grassroots, are in dire need of real empowerment that will transform their lives and in addition affect the lives of others.

"Not the kind of empowerment that you distribute Okadas to youth of highly productive age who still have a lot to contribute to nation building.

"We are talking of real equipment in education, skill, vocations and entrepreneurship development that would transform their lives," he said.

Ajulo-Opin advised the electorates not to succumb to the idea of selling their votes for any monetary inducement in whatever form.

He said the electorates should rather be guided by the manifestoes of each contestants in determining whom to entrust their votes for.

Ajulo-Opin described the allegations of vote-buying and selling that characterised the recent governorship election in Ekiti as undemocratic and alien to the nation's democratic system.

He said the trend, if not properly checked, could be a stumbling block to achieving the desire free, fair and credible elections come 2019.

"I want to advise our people to do away with money politics and should be upright in exercising their franchise.

"We should rather follow our conscience by asking for the manifestoes of each aspirant to know what they have got to offer us as the basis for releasing our votes," he said.

Ajulo-Opin expressed confidence in the ability of both the State and National executives of the APC to deliver in their assignments.

According to him, although, there were few challenges in the ruling APC we are optimistic that the party would come out stronger, united and better positioned.

"It is no longer news that the party has been dealing with some internal challenges not peculiar to APC, especially after the congresses.

"But with all sincerity of purpose, the party is going to whether the storm and come out stronger and well positioned ahead of the general elections," he said.