The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Kwara South, Saheed Popoola, says concerns over insecurity and what he described as the All Progressives Congress’s failure to prioritise residents’ welfare prompted his exit from the party.
Speaking on Friday at the News Keg programme organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Ilorin, Popoola said his decision was driven by the challenges confronting communities across the district.
The former Offa Local Government chairman lamented that kidnapping and fear of attacks had displaced residents, disrupted farming and threatened livelihoods in Kwara South.
“I defected to the PDP because the APC and the actors there do not have the interest of the masses at heart,” he said.
He criticised the state government’s response to the situation, accusing it of paying more attention to the activities of former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and the PDP than to residents’ needs.
Popoola identified security, infrastructure and agriculture as his priorities, pledging to pursue legislative support and relevant interventions if elected.
“If by God’s grace I am elected as senator, I will lobby those that matter in the red chamber to alleviate insecurity as well as bring desirable infrastructure to my zone,” he said.
He expressed concern over poor roads in the district, saying their condition hampered movement and made communities more vulnerable to criminal attacks.
As part of his proposed response, Popoola advocated a neighbourhood watch involving Yoruba and Fulani residents. He said local knowledge would strengthen intelligence gathering and complement security agencies’ operations.
On agriculture, he maintained that restoring confidence among farmers would require improved security, noting that some residents had abandoned their farms and homes for fear of attacks.
The PDP candidate also urged voters to judge political contenders by their competence, ideas and development plans. He alleged that APC representatives were using money to influence support and appealed to residents to prioritise their long-term interests.
Addressing his earlier admission that he had linked Saraki to the Offa bank robbery for political reasons, Popoola reaffirmed his position and said apologising was a matter of conscience.
“I owe Saraki an apology, and I must render it because I offended him as my leader. I thank God that I am alive today to apologise,” he said.
He also praised members of the Correspondents’ Chapel for their professionalism and contribution to public discourse.
