Tag: kwara

A group, Kwara Integrity Movement (KIM), has said that the 2027 governorship election in is open to any of the three senatorial districts.

The group kicked against the clamour by a section of the state for power to shift to its senatorial district in 2027.

KIM added that such agitation would amount to “reducing Kwara to zoning politics.”

Monarchs, stakeholders and politicians from Kwara North extraction have of late, urged Kwara South and Kwara Senatorial districts to concede governorship seat to their region in 2027.

Kwara North hinged its agitation on fairness, justice and equity, rationalizing that the district had not occupied the seat of power in the state since 1999.

But, addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital KIM Chairman, Hon Oniwara Babatunde said that “Kwara requires the best minds, the boldest ideas and the strongest leadership not sectional leader.”

Hon Babatunde encouraged every qualified, credible and visionary Kwaran from any of the three senatorial districts to step forward and contest the 2027 governorship election.

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Said he: “Our position is clear, we want a free, open and competitive 2027 governorship election.

“KIM believes elections must be open to all; merit must defeat mediocrity; leadership must be chosen by competence not geography and Kwara needs a governor for all.

“As a people, we must reject any arrangement that undermines democracy, reduces leadership to ethnicity or cages political opportunity within artificial boundaries.”

Continuing, KIM chair added that “the agitation for zoning raises fundamental questions that Kwarans must ask boldly: For whom is the zoning agitation being championed? Is it genuinely for the people of Kwara North or for personal ambition of a few? Does the agitation suggest that past and present governments have been unjust to Kwara North? Is this zoning being presented as a compensation or entitlement?

“At this point, it is important to raise a serious danger that is quietly creeping into our political culture– the coercion of our traditional rulers into partisan politics.

“Our highly revered obas and emirs travelling across the state for political lobby and advocacy should be totally avoided. Today, it is the traditional rulers, tomorrow the religious leaders and civil servants may follow suit. These are highly revered institutions that must be insulated from partisan politics.”

By Abdullahi Shaba

Since 1999, governorship contests in Kwara State have been fair in terms of participation across the three senatorial districts. Kwara Central, Kwara South, and Kwara North have produced aspirants and candidates.

Yet, despite the appearance of equal opportunity, Kwara Central has ruled for 18 years, while Kwara South has governed for eight years.

Analysts attribute the dominance of Kwara Central to a mix of diplomacy, voter strength, incumbency advantage, and long-standing political influence, particularly within the capital city, Ilorin. This has created a pattern in which other zones contest competitively, but rarely secure the top seat due to power of incumbency.

As the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum, the field is already becoming crowded, especially within Kwara Central. Many politicians from the zone, across political parties, have signalled their interest in the governorship race. Among those publicly or indirectly positioning themselves are Senator Salihu Mustapha, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, and  Sulaiman Bolakale Kawu, an engineer. Their early declarations underscore a familiar reality: political stakeholders in Kwara Central remain confident that the seat is within reach once again.

In Kwara North, aspirants who have also shown interest include Salihu Yakubu Danladi and Senator Sadiq Suleiman.

Behind the scenes, however, a more complex political game appears to be unfolding. Insiders claimed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq believes in zoning. He is not opposed to the “Kwara North Lokan” narrative, a campaign suggesting that it is Kwara North’s turn to produce the next governor. In theory, this aligns with thecequity arguments often promoted by advocates of rotational leadership.

But there are also pressures from Kwara Central. The zone is still struggling with critics within the Kwara North and Kwara South.

This suspicion is reinforced by the recent activism of Kwara North traditional leaders, who have been visiting their counterparts in Kwara South to solicit support for the northern rotational claim. There is no major political figure from Kwara South who has declared interest in the 2027 race, raising questions about why the zone is being pressured into negotiations that have not formally begun.

A key point raised by political observers is that only Kwara Central, which has the largest voting population, has the leverage to guarantee a power shift to Kwara North. For this reason, some argue that Kwara North’s traditional leaders may have been more strategic if they had directed their appeals toward Ilorin’s royal institutions, including the Emir of Ilorin and influential traditional stakeholders whose constituencies anchor the political strength of the Central zone. Instead, their focus on Kwara South is widely seen as a sign of misdirection, possibly encouraged by the incumbent’s inner circle.

While there is agitation for power shift to the North, Kwara  Central brethren and allies who are seeking the APC ticket are also on the neck of the governor. Thus, the “Lokan” narratives may pale into bargaining tools rather than binding commitments.

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Historically, the Ilorin political establishment in Kwara Central has never voluntarily relinquished power through zonal bargaining alone, and there is little evidence that this trend will change.

Even when former Governor Bukola Saraki supported and delivered former Governor AbdulFatai Ahmed from Kwara South as governor, the relationship appeared to be one of political hierarchy, with his interests firmly protected. For many critics, this is why the growing vulnerability of Kwara South is troubling.

Its political class appears susceptible to the “deceptive Lokan” rhetoric despite facing significant socio-economic challenges such as rising insecurity, deepening poverty, underdevelopment, and increasing rural-to-urban migration. These challenges also prevalent in Kwara North strengthen the argument that both zones should pursue the governorship with renewed determination rather than relying on sentimental appeals or perceived assurances.

The emerging “Igbomina Lokan” sentiment in Kwara South reflects the same scheme. Like the northern rotational demand, it is increasingly viewed not as a consensus-building strategy but as another opportunity for political actors in the Central zone to divide southern and northern ambitions by fuelling ethnic sentiments while keeping the path clear for a Central flag bearer. No modern democratic system has produced electoral victory based solely on ethnic or sub-ethnic sentiment. Political parties ultimately prioritise candidates with the best chances of winning statewide support, a detribalized leader.

As political manoeuvring intensifies ahead of 2027, analysts and civil society groups are calling for a shift from divisive tactics and short-term regional calculations. They argue that Kwara’s political stakeholders must look beyond ethnic allegiances, patronage networks, and familiar divide-and-rule tactics. Instead, the state’s progress may depend on supporting candidates with proven competence, capacity, and integrity, regardless of their senatorial district.

Kwara’s next political transition will test whether the state’s leaders can break from entrenched patterns or  traditional power strategies will once again determine the outcome and future of the state.

• Shaba, a commentator, wrote from Ilorin, the state capital.

Monarchs and leaders of Igbomina ethnic stock have united in clamouring for the shift of Kwara South senatorial seat in 2027 elections to their side.

The agitation, they argued is borne out of political equity, fairness and justice

The demand was central to a summit convened by the apex socio-cultural organization, Omo Ibile Igbomina, themed: ‘Igbomina lokan for Kwara South Senate 2027.’

The gathering brought together royal fathers, political leaders, religious leaders, and the council of elders.

Speaking on behalf of the entire monarchs of Kwara South, Olomu of Omu-Aran Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti urged aspirants of all political parties to support any of them that emerge as the senatorial candidate.

Oba Adeoti added that was the only way the desire of the Igbominas could be achieved.

He added that “it is the turn of Igbomina as our brothers and sisters in Ekiti and Ibolo axis have tasted the power for 12 years each.

“You know, we monarchs are not politicians, any of you that comes to us for blessing, we will not hesitate to do so.”

The meeting proceeded under strict guidelines to ensure constructive dialogue, including a ban on partisan campaigns and abusive language, signaling a strategic and unified push to translate the bloc’s demographic strength into political representation.

In his opening address, Chairman of the Igbomina Council of Elders, Chief Solomon Olaoye clarified the group’s apolitical nature stressing the necessity of political engagement.

“Omo Ibile Igbomina does not discourage its members from seeking political advantage through any political party of their choice,” he stated, framing the summit as a solution to a “brewing political problem.”

A detailed position paper presented at the event laid out a compelling case based on historical data. It revealed a stark imbalance in senatorial representation since 1999 among Kwara South’s three blocs: Igbomina, Ibolo, and Ekiti, whilst being the bloc with largest landmass and constituting a significant population and voters base.

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The data shows that by 2027, the Ibolo and Ekiti blocs would have each held the seat for 12 years. The Igbomina bloc, in contrast, has held it for only one term of four years (1999-2003). This means the Igbomina people will have been excluded from the Senate for 24 consecutive years.

The summit argued that zoning the 2027 ticket to Igbomina is a matter of “rotational equity,” essential for correcting a historical disparity and fostering a unified political front in Kwara State.

The document concluded with a firm declaration: “Enough is Enough. Let 2027 be the year we champion equity… It is the right thing to do for justice, and the smart thing to do for a united and prosperous Kwara South.”