By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

The Kwara South senatorial candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Alhaji Abdulahi Mohammed, has urged voters in the state to support the party in the 2027 elections, saying it offers an alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mohammed, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin on Sunday, said the ADP had a workable blueprint to address challenges including the high cost of living, low agricultural development, insecurity and inadequate support for micro, small and medium enterprises.

He said the party was well positioned as an opposition platform to provide what he described as a better alternative that would promote prosperity and good governance in Kwara State.

The candidate, who hails from Balogun Ward in Offa, Kwara South, said residents had experienced both the APC and PDP in the state for more than two decades and should consider the ADP as another option.

“One problem we’re having here is this focus on the two major political parties. The people have refused to see alternative in many other platforms that can be used for political emancipation.

“Interestingly, the two don’t have clear-cut agenda or manifesto for the masses,” he said.

Mohammed also criticised what he described as a lack of continuity in projects and policies by successive administrations in the state, saying residents had suffered the consequences.

He said an ADP administration would prioritise support for residents across the three senatorial districts, particularly farmers, artisans, traders and other entrepreneurs.

“If the ADP is given the opportunity to serve Kwara, people will see a lot of difference in governance and even spread of projects to the three senatorial districts in the state, because our main objective is to assist the poor people, empower them by creating opportunity for them to grow,” he said.

Mohammed added that government should provide targeted support to people based on their areas of economic activity.

“For instance, if you are good in engineering, it’s the responsibility of the government to assist those who are in engineering sector.

“If you are a farmer, the government should assist the farmers and provide enabling environment for them to plant many food and cash crops,” he said.

On relations between elected federal lawmakers and the state government, the senatorial candidate said cordiality and collaboration were necessary to attract development to the state.

“My point is that when you look at those elected officials in the National Assembly and the governor, they are supposed to have a very good relationship so that they can collaborate and develop the state, because they are representatives of the people.

“When a good relationship is established, peace will be there, the security will be there, development will be there, and all that,” he said.

Mohammed also expressed concern over what he described as low school enrolment in Kwara South, alleging that successive administrations had not given adequate attention to educational development in the district.

He promised to prioritise education and economic empowerment if elected.

He said many residents engaged in entrepreneurship, including artisans and traders, lacked adequate capital and support to expand their businesses.

“There is a large population of our people in entrepreneurship. Some are artisans, traders and the like. Most of them lack financial capacity to even have their own shops and capital for business. They need support from government.

“And that’s the reason most of the people organise themselves in cooperatives. But at the end of the day, where does it take them to? Nowhere!

“I will tackle this menace if given the opportunity to serve my people,” he said.

The ADP candidate said his proposed approach would focus more on empowering residents economically rather than concentrating government spending solely on physical infrastructure.

“If we get the opportunity to be in power, that’s the kind of people we will face. When you empower people, the progress will be felt in the society.

“It’s not for government to be constructing this, constructing that, more so when we lack maintenance culture. We will provide assistance.

“When people are progressing in their different fields, nobody will think of kidnapping others. Less number of people will engage in illegal acts,” he said.