2027: Abuja Kwara North Leaders Demand Governorship Slot

Ahead of the 2027 general election, leaders from the Kwara north senatorial district in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have declared that for the sake of fairness and justice, the state’s governorship slot should be ceded to the zone.

Speaking at the Baatonu Unity and Development Association Abuja (BUDIA) women wing end-of-year event in Abuja on Saturday, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the association BUDIA, Yusuf Tunku stated that no individual from Kwara North has governed the state since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 while other zones have had the slot.

This came on the heels of a recent one-day stakeholders’ engagement convened in Patigi local government area by the Vice Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs in Kwara state, Etsu Pategi Ibrahim Umar Bologi II, where all the traditional rulers in Kwara North called for power shift to zone in 2027.

The BUDIA Bot Chairman insisted that the imbalance must be corrected in 2027 to give the Kwara north senatorial district a sense of belonging, fairness and justice.

Tunku disclosed that consultations had already begun as the traditional rulers from the zone met their counterparts in Kwara south last week to garner support for Kwara north governorship bid.

“In fairness, it should be. Since the inception of the state, we’ve never had that chance at all.
Almost all other parts of the state have had their own share of the governorship. We’ve never had it .So, it is not going to be out of place. If, for fairness and justice, this time around, that is 2027, the power shift goes to the north,” he said.

Asked how far the zone has taken the agitation, Tunku said; “we have started. I think as recent as last week, even our traditional rulers, they moved to consult with the southern Kwara people. They met their traditional rulers last week to plead with them to let this time around, the governorship come to Kwara north. And I think there is this understanding.”

Also speaking, a member of the association’s BOT, Prof. Umar Semo, expressed hope that zone be given a chance to govern Kwara state in 2027.

“But politics does not reward silence; nobody will hand it to you unless you show interest. We have come out clearly to say we want the governorship slot.

“Our Emirs have met with traditional rulers in Kwara South to communicate our desire. We want a fair hearing, and we believe this is the right time,” he said.

Semo called for broader understanding across the state, noting that the zone has remained patient despite decades of political exclusion.

“In the spirit of unity, we have always supported others. Kwara Central has had its turn. Kwara South has had its turn. If Kwara North is supported this time, we will be very happy,” he added.

For her part, the president of BUDIA women wing, Aisha Ahmed Oyoru, said the association was at forefront of promoting the the culture and socioeconomic identity of the people, especially in their clamour for power shift in 2027.

On the event, she said:”Sometimes we may decide to visit one of the hospitals and give them cash in case we cancel the yearly get together. Like last year we didn’t do, so we went to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital to give them an amount to support the sick ones.”