By Mumini AbdulKareem
The Chief Imam of Offa, Ustadh Muyideen Salman Hussein has advised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to be meticulous in picking its candidates for the 2019 elections in Kwara State.
Hussein, who spoke in Offa during the educational empowerment programme of the House Leader of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Hassan Oyeleke, warned that the people will only vote for popular candidates with the way events are unfolding this time around.
But in a swift reaction, the state Chairman of the APC, Hon Ishola Balogun- Fulani said there is no cause for alarm adding that the party will always produce popular candidates that has the support and goodwill of the people.
Speaking on the topic, Young Shall Grow, the Imam said the APC should do all within its powers to scheme out candidates that will not add value to the fortunes of the party irrespective of the influence they may wield.
According to him, “I want what I am about to say to be documented. There are two ways to politicking, first is to be attracted through the instrument of the party.
On the other hand, you can love a party because of its candidates and with the way things are going now, Offa will not vote for candidates because of the party but will vote the party because of the calibre of candidates presented to the people.
“On this ground, I implore the APC to carry out their homework on candidates for subsequent elections because it will get to a stage where we’ll vote based on popularity and acceptability of candidates and not whether we love or hate the platform.
“When I speak, you know that Offa has spoken and the voice of men is the voice of God. It is possible to have a beautiful cloth but worn by lunatic. This is my message to you”, he added.
He described Oyeleke, as the right candidate for APC and one who has impacted on his constituency since he was voted into office. Hussein however called on members of APC in Offa to unite and move the party forward.
He said the party loyalists should join hands to stop the bickering and infighting ahead of the forthcoming local government election in the state.
“Any person that will not add value to the APC when he gets into position of authority,” Hussein noted, should be schemed out and not allowed to get there.
“You must work towards this message because the voice of men is the voice of God,” he added.
In his reaction, Balogun-Fulani noted that ““We have always presented credible, sellable and popular candidates in all our elections and that is why we have always won and consolidate on the victory in subsequent elections.
“This time will not be different and it can only get better. For us as a party, we have internal mechanism that has always worked for us because we operate an all inclusive, participatory system in choosing our candidates for all the elections we contest.
