For three decades, Kwara State has been under political slavery which has caused mass poverty amongst the people.

Apart from the fact that Kwara civil servants are the least paid in the country, all the industries that we use to know in Kwara have disappeared through political mismanagement of the state thereby causing mass unemployment.

In 2007, our people made determined effort for freedom by voting Hon. Gbenga Olawepo as governor under the umbrella of the DPP, but our political enslavers in collaboration with the then president in Abuja rigged it massively, breaking the will of our people through organized state coercion.

Hon Gbenga Olawepo did not give up; he led many of his supporters to revalidate his mandate at the tribunal up to the Court of Appeal before going back to rebuild his business that has suffered for 2 years of his absence and consistent struggle on behalf of Kwarans.

Among the leading candidates that contested the governorship election, he is the only one that did not return to prostrate for the Kwara overlord and join his party.

Now that 2011 election has come, we the supporters and admirers of Olawepo, a true leader, principled, tested and trusted, have prevailed on him to come out again and be our Governor. He won in 2007, he will win again. This time, there is no “Strongman of Owu” to help our enslaver; President Jonathan says one man one vote. We must all rise to support Olawepo, register to vote, vote and defend our vote. We must not allow fake leaders to come around and deceive us again, spreading lies and propaganda. Olawepo is the authentic leader, Tested and Trusted.

THE MAN OLAWEPO
An accomplished business man with over nineteen years experience in business, in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria, in Europe and America, he holds a master degree in Global Affairs from the University of Buckingham United Kingdom, where he was Best Student in his class, and where he broke departmental record as the first to obtain distinction in the history of Global Systems. For this, he was awarded the Lord Max bellof Award.

He has wide international connection which he gathered even in his Student Union days, being active in the International Union of Students, All African Students union, and the Anti-apartheid movement (Youth solidarity for Southern Africa) where he was General Secretary. As a result of this, he has received the Kwame Nkrumah African Leadership Award and the veteran Award in Venezuela.

In spite of Olawepo’s international exposure, he is a grass-root man that participates actively in community activities.

He started leadership from his Secondary School in Ilorin where he was Health Prefect and elected President of the dramatic Society. He was a parliamentarian in Kwara State College of technology, Public Relation Officer of National Association of Nigeria Student at University of Lagos.

He is a philanthropist who has given out several scholarships, donated computers to university of Ilorin, given out interest free loans to over four hundred women in Kwara State, supported the handicaps etc.

He is also a fearless leader who had struggled for democracy in Nigeria under military rule as a result for which he was detained under the draconian decree 2, in 1989. As an activist he was founding National Administrative Secretary of the Committee for Defense of Human Right (CDHR) led then, by Late Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti and was also active in the National Conference Movement led in 1990 by Late Alao Aka Bashorun.

At the national political level, he has solid experiences; he was National Secretary of National Democratic Labour Party in 1996, a party that joined hands with other progressives in G-34 to oppose Late Sani Abacha and eventually formed the PDP. He was PDP first elected Deputy National Publicity Secretary in 1999. When PDP was turned to a party of thieves, and the then president started haunting the founders of the party because he planned to rule Nigeria forever, Olawepo left the party.

While he was active in the party he served as member of convention committee in year 2000, Secretary National Reconciliation Committee for South-South; Secretary Youth and Women Development Sub-committee of the Gen. Danjuma led Presidential Advisory Sub-committee in 1999 and later, member PDP Constitution Review Committee. In 2003, he also served as a member of political Advisory Committee in the office of the political Adviser to the president. While in PDP office, Olawepo helped many Kwarans to get jobs and Federal Board appointments. He is also known to be kind and generous. At the moment he is a member of the DPP National Caucus, Board of Trustee and was chairman of the Party’s last Convention Committee.


VISION AND MISSION
Highlight of Olawepo’s Programmes for Kwara State
1. Industrialization – Establishment of Rice mill, Ethanol plant, palm oil processing, Groundnut processing mill and Rice processing mill, through joint Venture partnership.

2. Industrialization Programme will create 350,000 new jobs in four years and eradicate youth and general unemployment.

3. Increase in worker’s pay.

4. Renovation of Schools and mass recruitment of teachers.

5. Give farmers loans and increase the income of a target 5,000 farming families to Annual income of 1m per family.

6. Micro-credit for women entrepreneurs.

7. Free Medical Care for all Pregnant Women, Children and the elderly.

8. New vocational training for artisans and loans for them to establish upon completion of the training.
9. Completely Free Primary and Secondary Education and Vocational training. NECO and WAEC Examinations fees shall be paid for by Government.

10. Annual Bursary Awards for all students of Tertiary Institutions, and scholarship award for the gifted but indigent students.

11. Pension Reform and payment of backlog.

12. Recruitment in the health and Education Sector of the civil service and many more good things.

We invite you to vote for and support Olawepo as Governor, come April 12, 2011.

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