As preparations for the 2027 elections heighten, political parties in Kwara State are weighing their options and deepening their engagements with residents through various means, even as many well-qualified politicians and technocrats in the state have indicated interest to take over from Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the end of his tenure, writes ODUN EDWARD from Ilorin.
Kwara State
As the countdown to the 2027 general election begins, Kwara State currently seems to be the cynosure of political pundits. The development may have stemmed from the post ‘O to ge’ movement, a political wave that ousted former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, from the scene and enthroned the incumbent Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. However, some of those who pioneered and orchestrated the movement have turned against the governor, alleging a radical departure from its soul and spirit.
According to Chief Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, a dogged political reformist who led the revolution alongside persons like Chief Rex Olawoye and Yekeen Alajagbusi, “what we fought for was a true democratic movement in which there would be the supremacy of the party, but it is a far cry from that objective today.”
While the duo of Olawoye and Alajagbusi had since gone to the grave beyond, Oyedepo defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) late last year. The sole ‘beneficiary’ of the leading voices of the movement is Femi Yusuf, alias, ‘Koto-koto-koto,’ who is currently the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Council of the state.
Thus, many of the participants in the movement are divided in their opinions as to whether or not the political step that changed the political hegemony in Kwara was a miscalculated one.
A former state spokesman of the defunct All People’s Party (APP), AbdulRahoof Bello, now a leading voice in Omupo, Ifelodun Local Council and Igbomina sub-Yoruba ethnic nationality, said: “For us, there is every reason to be grateful to God for the present political structure we have in Kwara under the able leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. It is a radical departure from the ‘recycling of persons’ political style of those who ruled before him.
“Today, we have younger persons in the affairs from the councils to the state level. I mean persons who never went prostrating for political posts but were picked based on pure merit. What this portends is that your family background no longer counts but your willingness to contribute your quota to the growth of our dear state and her people. It will be a continuous dynamic that will soon dovetail into socio-economic and political growth.”
The state Chairman of the APC, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, has also described the party as the most viable and focused for the holistic development of the state.
“It is a rancour free party and we have a structure that is so solid for any present or emerging opposition party to threaten. Besides, you can all see for yourself the overwhelming achievements of the governor and all his team, piloting the affairs of the state for almost seven years now.”
For Hussein Omotosho, a chieftain in the youth wing of the party in Ilorin, the state capital, “the beauty of ‘O to ge’ is the engendering of political freedom for the real democrats in Kwara. But what we condemn is the seeming relegation of the party structure, which is a dangerous signal to the political freedom we all fought for.”
In the ADC, those said to be interested in the governorship are Abubakar Kannike, Abubakar Basambo, Prof. Yisa Gana and Zakari Mohammed.
Aspirants in the PDP reportedly include Prof. Ahmad Ali, Kale Kawu, an engineer; Razak Atunwa and Omar Bolaji Gambari.
In the ruling APC, Salihu Yakubu Danladi, Senator Lola Ashiru, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Senator Suleiman Sodiq Umar, Lateef Okasunkanmi Fagbemi (SAN), the incumbent Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation; Prof. Wale Suleiman and Ambassador Yahaya Seriki Gambari are said be interested in emerging as AbdulRazaq’s successor in 2027.
No doubt, many of the aspirants have the experience, versatility and brilliance to govern the state but only one of them will get the mandate at the end of the day.
From the ADC camp, Kannike is an architect by profession and an ex-Commissioner for Agriculture. He was a former House of Representatives member (Ilorin East/ Ilorin South).
Gana is a university don and a former Nigerian ambassador to Japan, who has made more marks in the field of politics than in academics. He once served as the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture. Mohammed, a refined sports writer, was a former House of Representatives member.
From the PDP camp, Ali is a Harvard-trained Professor of Law, who has taught Law at the University of Ilorin and University of Abuja. He is a former House of Representatives member (Ilorin East and Ilorin South) and a one-time Speaker of the state House of Assembly.
Atunwa, a former governorship candidate of the party in the state, was a House of Representatives member (Asa/Ilorin West). He is a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly.
Top is the long list of the aspirants in the APC are all the three serving senators, and the Justice Minister – Mustapha (Kwara Central), Ashiru (Kwara South), Sodiq (Kwara North) and Fagbemi.
Mustapha, from Ilorin, is taking his politics after the pattern of the late doyen of the state’s politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki. According to one of his aides, Isiaka Abdullateef, the senator has used a larger chunk of his resources to alleviate poverty among his people. Abdullateef stated he would ensure the eradication of the poverty staring his people in the face if given the mandate.
“His philanthropic endeavours are across the board irrespective of religion or tribe. He is the true unifying factor that Kwara needs for the job,” Abdullateef said.
Both Ashiru, an Offa-born architect, and Sodiq, from Kwara North, have also made their marks as senators representing their various districts. Fagbemi, an Ijagbo (Oyun Local Council) born politician was an Ibadan-based seasoned legal luminary before his political appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
Despite the attractive political profile of the aspirants, political pundits in the state believe that the final contest will be between the APC and the PDP. They also believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor AbdulRazaq and former governor Bukola Saraki, hold the ace to the ambitions of the aspirants in their respective parties.
A source said: “If the voice of Tinubu will dwarf that of the governor regarding the choice of the flag bearer of the APC, it may be ‘uhuru’ for Fagbemi. But if the governor is allowed to roar from his den, the mantle may fall on any of Mustapha, Sodiq or the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Solihu Danladi.
“Both Sodiq, who a few days ago publicly declared his interest in the race, and Danladi are from Kwara North Senatorial District. Political aides of the governor have insinuated that he prefers having a governor from the district as his successor, citing ethnic equity. The last person to have emerged from the district as governor was Senator Sha’aba Lafiagi, some 43 years ago.
“But since the governor is believed to be gunning for the Kwara Central Senatorial District seat, currently occupied by Mustapha, it would also be fair for him to support Mustapha for the governorship seat.”
Nonetheless, a commissioner in the state, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, described the permutations as “those of the figment of the imagination of the reporter,” adding: “Oga (the governor) is yet to tell us his next line of action after his tenure.
On the other hand, Saraki appears to have warmed his way back into the heart of his multifarious supporters. He has diligently visited the bereaved among them and assembled them for ‘Itsarf’ (breaking of Ramadan fast). Lately, anywhere he turns to in Ilorin, the shout of ‘Oloye’ always rents the air.
A few days ago, he hosted Christian leaders, clerics, women and youth representatives from across the state at his residence, in Ilorin, to break the Lenten fast, during which he emphasised unity, interfaith harmony, and shared values between Islam and Christianity. The Waziri Ngeri of Ilorin Emirate had earlier done a similar thing for Muslim faithful in the state.
According to his Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, the gathering formed part of Saraki’s ongoing engagements with religious and community stakeholders during the Ramadan/Lenten periods.
But recently, AbdulRazaq said he had raised the bar of good and impactful governance in the state, citing unprecedented strides in infrastructural renewal, revenue reforms, education, basic healthcare delivery, and social security for the people.
Addressing a large crowd of dignitaries and party supporters at the state APC congress in Ilorin, the governor said his administration has modernised infrastructure across sectors, especially roads, schools and hospitals, adding that his yet-to-be-known successor would have the task of further raising the bar.
Besides, he said that he would not be interested in building any political dynasty, adding that his focus on leaving legacies of a better developed state has been achieved to the glory of God.
AbdulRazaq said: “In terms of opposition, yes, they will play their politics; they will say all kinds of things to the people. But you have seen that since we came in, Kwara has taken a new turn, a turn for the better. That’s why I don’t know what the opposition will campaign with.
“Is it about infrastructure, healthcare or education? We’ve done exceedingly well. So, we will continue to do better. As I’ve always said, we’re not here to build a dynasty. We’re here to build a legacy. And I pray for the person who succeeds me to do better than I have done for the good of our people. I have raised the bar; as a team we have raised the bar. Our successors will raise it further each year and learn.”
Meanwhile, the Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD) has urged the state government to establish a Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PUCACC) in the state.
The group said there was an urgent need to fight corruption institutionally, stressing that corruption remains the major reason the level of growth and development in the state have allegedly not tallied with public funds spent by “successive administrations since the return of democracy.”
In a statement by its Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, Saeed Tijani, ENetSuD said the next governor of the state should allow the commission, if established, to investigate and prosecute officials of the state government, registered contractors, among others, indicted for economic crimes and financial misappropriation.
“We strongly believe that a thorough scrutiny of public fund and government budget execution at the state and the local levels will block diversion of public funds, improve quality service delivery, enhance value-for-money in project execution, and make adequate funds available that will enable Kwara State government and the Councils to meet the needs of the citizenry,” the group said.
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