2027: I’ll build on AbdulRazaq’s achievements in Kwara – Danladi

The APC governorship candidate in Kwara, Salihu Danladi, has pledged to build on Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s achievements if elected governor in 2027.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin on Friday, Danladi, popularly known as SYD, acknowledged that the AbdulRazaq administration had laid a solid foundation for Kwara’s continued development.

He said his experience in the legislative arm of government, along with his knowledge of the state’s budgeting process and development challenges, had prepared him for the governorship.

Danladi, who served as Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly from 2019 to 2023, said he had helped lay the foundation on which the current administration had built its achievements.

He expressed confidence that his administration would sustain ongoing infrastructure development, urban renewal and human capital development across the state.

The APC candidate said his experience as speaker had exposed him to the operations of all sectors of the state, particularly through the legislature’s budgeting and oversight functions.

Danladi said his interventions in Ilesha-Gwanara Constituency and Baruten Local Government included providing more than 200 boreholes to address water shortages.

He said he had also facilitated the completion of a 33-kilometre road linking communities in the area, helping to ease transportation challenges, particularly during the rainy season.

The candidate said he had facilitated the construction of 28 classroom blocks and several primary healthcare centres in communities across Baruten Local Government.

He added that he had facilitated the opening and grading of more than 800 kilometres of rural roads to improve access to communities and promote economic activity.

On security, Danladi said he had enabled the training and equipping of 300 vigilantes to strengthen security in border communities.

He said the initiative was particularly important because of Baruten’s proximity to the Republic of Benin, making it necessary to strengthen security in the area.

Highlighting his education-related interventions, Danladi said he had supported the development of his former primary school in Gwanara, including its remodelling and the provision of information and communication technology facilities.

He commended AbdulRazaq for facilitating the establishment of the Federal Science and Technical College in Gwanara.

He described it as a major intervention that had improved access to federal educational opportunities in Kwara North.

Danladi pledged to prioritise rural development, saying his background and upbringing had given him a first-hand understanding of the challenges facing rural communities.

He promised balanced development between rural and urban communities, adding that he had visited all 193 wards and 16 local government areas in the state.

He also pledged to sustain improvements in workers’ welfare, healthcare, education, infrastructure and economic empowerment.

The APC candidate said his educational qualifications and professional experience had further prepared him for governance.

He said he studied electrical engineering at Kaduna Polytechnic and the Federal University of Technology, Minna, where he graduated with a Second-Class Upper degree.

He also obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Revenue Management from Kwara State University, Malete, and a master’s degree in Peace, Conflict and Security Studies from Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin.

He said he was currently pursuing a PhD.

Danladi called on the people of Kwara to support the APC, saying the state should build on the foundation laid by the AbdulRazaq administration rather than reverse the gains recorded.

He described his running mate, Mr David Oguniyi, as a competent and experienced legislator who understood the state’s budgeting process and development needs.

Oguniyi had earlier highlighted the importance of private-sector experience in governance.

He said his experience at multinational companies, including DuPont, where he served as country managing director for about 10 years, had equipped him with administrative and managerial skills for public service.

He also expressed confidence in AbdulRazaq’s achievements, particularly in infrastructure and urban renewal.

In his welcome address, News Keg Committee Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Alege, said the initiative aimed to shift political discussions away from party interests and permutations towards issues affecting residents’ wellbeing.

He said the platform would enable candidates to share their visions, policies and programmes for the state’s development.

According to Alege, the engagement allowed candidates to address critical issues, including security, education, healthcare, infrastructure, employment, agriculture and economic development.

Alege, who described Danladi as the first candidate to feature in the series, said the platform was designed to promote constructive engagement, transparency and accountability.

He said journalists had a responsibility to ask questions, seek answers and provide the electorate with relevant information to make informed decisions.

Alege stressed that the initiative was not intended to endorse any political candidate, but to encourage public discourse and accountability.