Kwara 2023: SDP Inaugurates Campaign Council

By: Oluwasegun Abifarin

The Kwara State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has inaugurated its campaign Council and Organisation ahead of the official commencement of political campaign for the 2023 elections.

The event which took place at the newly launched Agba Dam road secretariat on Saturday, had in attendance party officials and supporters.

The campaign Structures which cut across every segment of the party membership is made up of: KWARA SDP CAMPAIGN COUNCIL and KWARA SDP CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION which comprises six Directorates to co-ordinate the operations and administration of the campaign.

The 22-man Campaign Council is chaired by the Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, while Alhaji Attahiru Abdulkadir Manko is the Co-Chairman. Other members include Reverend Joshua Olayinka Olakunle (Deputy Governorship Candidate); Alhaji Abdulazeez Afolabi (SDP State Chairman); Engineer Sunday Babalola and Alhaji Tajudeen Audu.

Others are Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji (Director Gen. Admin.); Arc. Kale Belgore (Co-Director General Operations); Alhaji Adamu Attahiru Manko (Kwara North Senatoral Candidate); Prof. Wale Suleiman (Kwara South Senatorial Candidate); Dr. Ridwan Apaokagi (Kwara Central Senatorial Candidate and Alhaji Ndamusa Guyegi (Kwara North House of Reps Candidate)

Also included are Alhaji Ganiyu Cook Olododo (Kwara Central House of Reps Candidate); Prince Saheed Popoola, (Kwara South House of Reps Candidate); Barrister Tejumola Adeyemi; Alhaji Adisa Idofian, Alhaji Issa Malete, Dr. H. B. Oyedepo, Dr. Abdulganiyu Baki, Alhaji Aliyu Lade, Alhaji Abdulkareem Adeleye and Dr. Bolaji Afolabi who is the Secretary of the Campaign Organization.

The Campaign organization in turn is made up of six Directorates viz: Planning, Research and Strategy; Finance, Security, Media and Strategic Communication; Legal and Special Duties.

While Alhaji Kaleel Bolaji is the DG Administration, Architect Kale Belgore is the Co-DG, Operations, while Dr. Bolaji Afolabi is the Secretary of the Campaign organization.

The 11-member Legal Directorate is headed by Dr. Bolaji Ojibara, while Dr. H.B Oyedepo leads the 21-member team in the Planning, Research and Strategy Directorate. The Security Directorate is made up of 16 members and is headed by Mr. Femi Abubakar.

The 10 members in the Finance Directorate will be led by Mr. S.O Alabi, while Oluwasegun Abifarin is leading the 11-member Media and Strategic Communication Directorate. There are 14 members in the Special Duties Directorate, led by Alhaji Tunde Mohammed.

Other offices include Protocol and Events unit with 18 members and Contact and Mobilisation unit with 79 members, while the Secretariat/General Administration unit has 12 members.

As part of the event, the campaign team for the three Senatorial zones of Kwara South, Central and North as well as the Local Government Area Councils were also inaugurated.

The 38-member team for Kwara North will be led by Alhaji Adamu Attahiru Manko (SDP Senatorial Candidate) and Elder Joseph N. Tsado (SDP Senatorial Chairman) as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively.

In the Kwara Central, the 32-member team is headed by Dr. Ridwan Apaokagi (SDP Senatorial Candidate) and Alhaji Akore Abdulraheem (SDP Senatorial Chairman); while the “46-member battalion” in Kwara South Senatorial District will be led Prof. Wale Suleiman (SDP Senatorial Candidate) and Barrister Razaq Alabi (SDP Senatorial Chairman)

Speaking at the occasion, the State Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Afolabi Azeez explained that while the Campaign Council will serve as a policy making platform, the Campaign Organisation will see to the day to day running of the affairs of the campaign. He stressed that the party is confident of victory at the polls and will always strive for equity, fairness, justice and transparency before, during and after the election.

Mallam Bolaji Khaleel, DG (Admin) explained that the Campaign Organisation is a unified campaign structure “from bottom to top” comprising of party members at all levels, and charged members to hit the ground running to get victory for the party.

Hundreds of All Progressive Congress, APC, from Ilorin West, led by Mallam Mohammed Hakeem Sofiu decamped to the SDP at the event. Receiving the decampees, the governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal maintained that the SDP represents the new face of Kwara progress where all residents will benefit from its shared prosperity.