A former Special Adviser appointed by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in the twilight of his administration in Kwara State, Kale Belgore, on Monday, declared his intention to contest the 2023 governorship election under the Social Democratic Party.
Speaking during his declaration of interest at the Social Democratic Party’s state secretariat in Ilorin, Belgore, who is the younger brother to the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the state in the 2011 general election, Dele Belgore (SAN), said his desire was to birth a better Kwara State.
“If elected governor of Kwara State come 2023 under the SDP, there will be a better Kwara because this is not the way or where we should be as a state. We are tired of saying Kwara State is a civil service state. There are sectors that need big investment opportunities and human capital that would be tapped,” he said.
Belgore, who said that he has garnered enough experiences politically and administratively to guide him as Governor, stated that he would tap from the legacy of good relationships he had established across the length and breadth of the state.
“My ambition is Pan-Kwara agenda, built on the concept of unity in diversity, I intend to collaborate with my fellow party people to run a government of inclusiveness, not only with the party but with Kwarans and anyone who desires to contribute to the development of the state of harmony.
“I dare to set a new standard and activate the material potential as well as the human capacity of the people of Kwara. This I believe we can achieve together.
“As part of my vision, I intend as governor of Kwara State, to strengthen the capacity in the civil service. We all know that Kwara’s civil service was one of the bedrock of Northern Civil Service and is one of the most respected in Nigeria at moment.
“We also know that Kwara has 72 per cent of landmass which is cultivatable and not used at moment; I intend to collaborate with the private sector on Agric value chain, with particular emphasis on the rice and sugar berth of the Nupe speaking part of Kwara and on the expanse of land in Baruteen and Kaiama area, specifically it’s my idea that we would have a master plan for Lafiagi, for example, with over $300 million investment ongoing by BUA, we intend to have a master plan of that community and similar ones,”
Belgore, who was one of the kitchen cabinet of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq at the beginning of this administration and served as a special adviser ‘counsellor,’ stated that he would base his campaign on issues, not personality.
He also stated that as an architect he would facilitate investment in housing and give chance to competent people to run an effective local government administration, if elected as Governor under the banner of the SDP.
Belgore said he had been part of politics in the state for over 20 years, added that he had the required experience to serve in the highest office, tapping from his connections in all parts of the state.
Welcoming Belgore’s ambition, the Kwara State chairman of the SDP, Abdulazeez Afolabi, represented by the party’s Vice Chairman, North, Ndanusa Tsado, said, “We formally accept your declaration. We urge everyone of you as aspirants to sit down together and draw a template that will give us a rancour-free selection of the party candidates at various levels, particularly gubernatorial aspirants.
Tsado charged all aspirants in the party to ensure rancour-free primaries, saying that they should work to strengthen the party in the state.
“The SDP is pan-Kwara and ready to develop the state. Our aim is to balance policy with politics. So, I enjoin you all to promote rancour-free primary to strengthen the party and form a template that would take the state higher without crisis. There’s no anointed candidate for any position and there would be no imposition. Let’s support any one that emerges as the candidate,” he said.
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