Kwara PDP guber candidate unveils N140bn security, regional development blueprint
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
The Kwara State People’s Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general election, Engineer Sulaiman Bolakale Kawu, has pledged to restore the state’s status as the State of Harmony by establishing a N100 billion Security Trust Fund alongside a N40 billion One Kwara Regional Development Agency.
Speaking in Ilorin on Thursday during the unveiling of his tripod manifesto tagged “My Covenant with Kwara” (SBKCompact), Kawu explained that the security fund will finance intelligence-led operations, community partnerships, and coordinated security services, while at least N5 billion will be allocated over four years as counterpart funding for donor-backed regional development.
Furthermore, the governorship hopeful noted that his background in project planning and transparent procurement guarantees equitable infrastructure delivery across all communities, thereby creating a productive economy where residents can build sustainable wealth.
To stimulate local commerce and enterprise, Kawu disclosed plans to allocate N9.6 billion each for a statewide market traders’ revolving loan scheme and a single-digit loan programme for micro, small, and medium enterprises, complemented by a N3 billion Women Enterprises and Empowerment Fund and annual grants for at least 1,000 artisans.
Turning to human capital development, the candidate stated that his administration will rebuild dilapidated schools, strengthen technical and digital learning, and introduce a N4 billion special hardship allowance for teachers serving in underserved, rural, and hard-to-reach communities.
Similarly, he pledged to revitalize primary healthcare centres across all sixteen local government areas by improving access to essential medicines and introducing a special rural allowance for qualified health personnel working in remote areas.
In addition to promising a 13th-month salary for civil servants, 200,000 annual youth employment opportunities, and modernized agricultural value chains, Kawu emphasized that his government will provide farmers with security, land access, and reliable market routes.
Earlier at the event, the Campaign Director-General, Prince Bolaji Gobir, described the manifesto as a solemn covenant forged through stakeholder consultations, while the state party chairman, Hon. Issa Adamu, urged members to prioritize party unity as they campaign across the state.
