Bolaji Abdullahi, former sports minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Kwara Central Senatorial district has declared that youth empowerment would be given utmost priority if elected.
Fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin after he was confirmed sole candidate to serve the people of his constituency, Abdullah vowed to take the job very seriously and work harder than expected by making the system better than what he met it.
According to him, members of the PDP Kwara Central unanimously agreed, declared and confirmed him as the candidate to be the flag bearer of the party in the forthcoming general elections.
He said, “It is an opportunity I do not take for granted. It is the one I take very seriously, because I believe that in democracy, the National Assembly is a centre of representation of the people and that is where the business of the government actually take place.
“For me, I believe that every politician has a reason for playing politics – not the most enjoyable occupation. By my experience, I think every politician has motive for been a politician.
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“My own reason is the same reason in 2019 when I attempted to contest for governorship. I announced clearly what my reason was. That I wanted to be governor at that time to promote youth development and that is why I said my priority number one is youth development, my priority number two is youth development, third priority is youth development, that has not changed.
“When you have 60 percent of your population been youth between the ages of 18 and 35; you can not do anything else that make sense beyond focusing on youth development.
“How do you give skills to youth that are not educated, how do you give educated youth opportunity in life, how do you help young people in their career, how do you give youth the right kind of value that can make them patriotic citizens? These are the reasons I am a politician and when I get to the national assembly; in Sha Allah, these will be the main purpose of my representation.
“It is about how to assist young people in terms of education, skill development and the rest. This will be my priority. I believe by God’s grace I will be a voice for my constituency – Asa/Ilorin West/ Ilorin East/Ilorin South in the national assembly.
“The situation we are going to face in 2023 I think is remarkably different from where we are coming from. Wherever we are coming from; it is going to be a major turning point for Nigeria.
“So, what every constituency will get will depend on quality of voice that is representing that constituency in the national assembly and I believe I can give that quality voice.”
