A cerebral journalist and former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, has declared his intention to contest the Kwara Central senatorial seat in 2023.

Abdullahi, a former Editor with Thisday Newspapers, made his ambition public at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ilorin on Monday.

The former minister, who was accompanied to the party’s secretariat by a mammoth crowd of supporters and well wishers, presented his Letter of Intent to the PDP state chairman, Mr. Babatunde Mohammed.

Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the incumbent. Oloriegbe defeated the then Senate President Bukola Saraki for the seat in 2019.

Abdullahi said 2023 provides another opportunity for patriotic Nigerians to make themselves available for service to salvage the country.

“Nigeria is at the moment faced with numerous problems. Insecurity has assumed alarming proportion.

“Nigerians are losing their lives in thousands daily. Most Nigerians are unable to feed themselves; do not have access to healthcare and education.

“Nigerian youths have become destabilising force because of our inability to provide jobs for them.

“Therefore, we need leaders that will take Nigeria out of these problems. 2023 provides us the opportunity to move the nation out of the doldrums. This is the time for patriotic Nigerians to offer themselves for service.

“It is in the light of this that I have offered myself for service to our fatherland,” Abdullahi said.

He pledged to work with other patriots to move Nigeria forward if elected to represent Kwara central in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Responding, the PDP state chairman acknowledged Abdullahi’s contribution to the development of Kwara in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

Muhammed said the party’s leadership is delighted about the intention of Abdullahi to vie for the senatorial seat, describing him as a man of impeccable character and proven track records of achievements.

TheStar