Date: 2019-02-14

...Pledge 100,000 votes

Pensioners and retirees in Kwara state have said they are irrevocably committed to the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this week Saturday's and March 2nd general elections.

They also pledged APC would garner nothing less than 100,000 votes from them in the state.

Chairman of the Concerned Retired Kwara state Civil Servants, Alhaji Mohammed Abioye spoke this Thursday in Ilorin, the state capital during an interaction with Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed.

Alhaji Abioye said that "it needs be mentioned that we have come together in order to join hands with other well-meaning Kwarans who have been working to put a stop to the downward socio-economic development of the state due to poor governance in all ramifications especially since 2003 till date.

"We are concerned because this ugly trend has come about because the civil service which is supposed to be the engine room of government has been largely bastardised. The reason for this ugly trend is traceable obviously to poor service condition, lack of respect and regards for the service and its personnel both serving and retired."

He said: "We must not allow this ugly trend to continue. We need to work with other progressively minded Kwarans to terminate the current political dynasty that is the major promoter of the various governments whose output has made our state the headquarters of poverty in Nigeria.

"In this respect, we urge all retired and service civil servants in the state to ensure safe custody of their permanent voter's cards (PVCs), disregard the fake memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently signed between the state government and some labour leaders and come out en-mass February 16th and March 2nd 2019 to vote for APC candidates."

He urged APC governorship candidate to be prepared to right all the wrongs already identified if voted in to power.

In a remark, information and culture minister urged the people to come out and vote massively come February 16th.

Alhaji Mohammed said the attention of the entire Nigeria and international community is focused on Kwara state in the forthcoming elections.

The minister added that "this Saturday election is very vital for the sacking of Bukola Saraki from the state's politics. It is the most important so that before the dawn of Monday Bukola Saraki would have been sent packing from the state."