The Kwara State People Democratic Party (PDP) has elected a former speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Babatunde Mohammed as the new chairman.
Mohammed emerged chair through a consensus arrangement by the party’s stakeholders.
In his acceptance speech, the new chairman said that he was not unaware of the tasks ahead but said that he was ready to do what is necessary.
“We will start work from the grassroots and work our walk our way up.
“We will use the next local government to tell Kwara people that we are back,” he said.
Affirming the arrangement and election of the party executives, Hon John Akwarashi, leading the election committee of national headquarters of PDP, said that it was gratifying that the information they heard from Abuja that Kwara was choosing the consensus option was confirmed in Ilorin.
Also affirming, Mallam Shehu Abdulkadir, team leader from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it was its duty to observe and ascertain if the officers were chosen through laid down procedure of the party rules.
“From what we have seen it clear that the choice by consensus is the overwhelming choice of the party members,” he said.
The immediate past president of the Nigerian Senate, Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki congratulated the new executives, adding that work has begun in earnest.
He said, “We are determined to reclaim our mandate, our mandate for the people is the contract we had with the people. We have shown that we are those and are group that are committed for the lives of the peoples.
“We did not want power for power, we did not want power for family interest, we want power for the interest of our people and that is why we need to go forward. We will make history today because we are making history today.”
He stressed the importance of the youth and the women in the development of the party.
“It is time for us to show that women are inclusive in the party. We made it mandatory that youth should carry 30% of our position and we achieved that. We made it mandatory that 30% of our position should be for females and we achieved that.
“This is a new phase of PDP that is ready to be inclusive that is ready to bring everybody abroad. Let us be ready because we are not doing it for ourselves but the people of Kwara,” he said.
Other officers elected under the arrangement include Hon. Umar Gunu Muhammad, Deputy Chairman; Alh Rasaq Lawal, Secretary; Alhaja Risqat Abdullahi, Women Leader; Alhaja Balikis Oniyangi, Organizing Secretary, Comrade Dan Iyan, Youth Leader; Comrade AbdulHamidd Issa Adangba – Senatorial Youth Leader Central; Alhaja Afusat Iyamileko, Senatorial Women Leader Central; Mrs Margret, Senatorial Women Leader South; and Tunde Ashaolu, Publicity Secretary.
Others are Gabriel Olatunji, Treasurer; Alh Morocco, Asst Treasurer; Alh Babatunde Abdukareem Owolabi, Senatorial Chairman Central; Comrade Bisi Fakayode, Senatorial Chairman Kwara South; and Alh Suhaib Gbadungbadun, Senatorial Chairman Kwara North.
The Congress was attended by the 8th senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki, the immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, a former senator representing Kwara south, senator Rafiu Ibrahim, former speaker of Kwara state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ali Ahmad, former minister of youth and sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, and delegates from the sixteen local governments in the state.
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