Age-long agitation has once again pitched the people of Kwara-north against Kwara-central and Kwara-south in the quest for governorship position in the forthcoming 2023 general elections. In this report, KEHINDE OSASONA gives an insight to the intrigues and permutation.
Preparatory to the 2023 governorship election in Kwara state, stakeholders, elders and youth of the northern axis of Kwara state have started aligning and consulting other axis and political stakeholders across party lines toward producing the number one man who would occupy the Ahmadu Bello way government house.
Although the incumbent governor Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is from Kwara Central and has indicated interest to run for another term, leaders from the zone are insisting that since 1999, their axis has not occupied the coveted seat, even as they insist it is their turn.
Background of rivalry
In 2018, the Emir of Yashikira, in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara state, Ahaji Umar Seriki Usman, threatened that the Kwara-north will agitate and breakaway from the state if not considered for the governorship position in 2019.
The monarch made the threat while receiving the APC governorship aspirant, Alhaji Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi, in his palace.
He made it clear that the section of the state had resolved to mount agitations and break away from Kwara if the reverse becomes the case, stressing that “gone are those days when we do follow-follow.”
Continuing he stated: “We are the food basket of the state. We are the commercial hub and pride of the state and we have always been instrumental to political victories in the state.
“Our people have been living in abject poverty, poor conditions, perpetual backwardness, joblessness and enmity among communities.
“We want a governor from within us and any attempt to do otherwise, we are ready to mount agitation to break away from this state because that was how Kabba and Okene was lost to the present Kogi state.
“It is our time to take over the leadership of the state by producing the next governor of the state. We need modern equipment for farming, we want qualitative education and good healthcare delivery for our people.
“This is the 21st century and we can’t afford to be living in the dark and unpardonable ignorance. May God assist you in the cause to salvage us all in Kwara state.”
The Kwara North Senatorial District consists of the people of Moro, Kaiama, Edu, Baruten, and Patigi local government areas of the state.
The last time the zone occupied the seat was in the third Republic when Senator Shaba Lafiagi, one of the loyalists of the late kingmaker of Kwara politics, Abubakar Olusola Saraki, was crowned governor.
After his reign, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, (Kwara-central), Dr. Bukola Saraki (Kwara-central) and Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara-south) ruled the state.
Pundits in Kwara political firmament confirmed to Blueprint Weekend that more than anything, the Kwara-north agitation may not be unconnected with the ceding of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to their zone, and by their calculation, the ruling party should also be magnanimous enough to follow suit.
While zoning the governorship to North in 2021, the PDP in a statement by its Spokesman, Tunde Ashaolu, said it took the action after series of exhaustive sessions with stakeholders of the party comprising party faithful from the three senatorial districts.
According to Ashaolu, “All the organs of the party played crucial roles in assisting the party in arriving at its decisions after making a series of consultations around the state under the guidance of our leader, His Excellency Sen. Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki.”
The last time a native of Kwara North occupy the office of the governor of this state was during the short-lived third republic in the person of Sha’aba Lafiagi, who was in office from January 1992 to November 1993, before it was truncated by the military.
However, while dwelling on the matter during an interview, a political commentator Aderinola Sayo noted that the main opposition party in Kwara state might have taken that action out of respect for rotational arrangement on ground.
He said, “It is the season of politics and it would not be out of place if political parties tried to outwit each other in the game of thrones.
“That PDP zoned its governorship to Kwara-north may not be out of respect for zoning after all but political ploy to dislodge the ruling APC that is if they did their home work well.
“Don’t forget that the current governor is a product of revolution the type that is hard to come by in any state at present because I doubt if we could have that type of revolt play out elsewhere so quickly.”
Matching words with action
As a way of demonstrating their readiness, last year the zone called the bluff of other zones by forming a pressure group towards the realisation of their power shift advocacy.
Blueprint Weekend gathered that at least 10 aspirants from the zone had indicated interest to vie for governorship. Whereas eight of them may have since been screened out following which an acceptable candidate that would fly the flag of the PDP would emerge.
Some of the governorship aspirants include: Hon. Zakari Muhammad from (Baruten LGA); Alhaji Abdulkadir Audu Makama from (Edu LGA); Hon. Ahman Aliyu Patigi from (Patigi LGA); and Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi from (Edu LGA).
Others are: Hon. Isa Bawa Adamu from (Kaiama LGA); Prof Yisa Gana from (Patigi LGA); Mr. Abdullah Alikinla from (Moro LGA); and Alhaji Abubakar Musa Samaki from (Kaiama LGA).
According to Blueprint Weekend findings, the aspirants, who cut across the major political parties among others, have started selling their candidature and wooing a new group called Kwara North Stakeholders Consultative Forum to clinch the ticket.
This is as some of the stakeholders have held several meetings in Ilorin the state capital and across the zone with aspirants on how to ensure smooth selection without face-off.
A dependable source, who is in the know, told our correspondent that undertakings had also been signed by the aspirants on the need to work as a team for Kwara-north’s interest regardless of the outcome.
Also in a communique signed by 101 leaders drawn from the five local government areas in the zone, political leaders from the senatorial zone urged the two major political parties of the APC and the PDP to pick their governorship candidates from the zone.
The communiqué read in part: “The meeting calls on all political parties existing in Kwara state to ensure that they zone their 2023 governor tickets to the Kwara-north Senatorial Zone for equity, fairness, justice and the fear of the Almighty God.
The meeting emphasized strongly on the need for the unity and oneness of all the people in the zone in order to achieve total success of our collective aspiration.”
Blueprint Weekend further gathered that the forum had met with the leaders of the PDP in Kwara-central, led by Alhaji Oba Ajara.
“The people of Kwara North have paid their dues to the people of other two districts and this is the time they should be allowed to lead the state,” our source added.
