Ahmadu Bello House: Is 2027 guber eight horses race?

In this piece, AHMED ‘LATEEF asks and dissects the political climate in Kwara State against the backdrop of agitation for power shift to the Northern axis for gubernatorial seat and as well as chances of potential aspirants from two other senatorial districts of the state, who are also eyeing the covetous job in Ahmadu Bello House, Ilorin.

Whoever must have been following the trend of events politically, is likely to come to an inescapable conclusion that power is not served a la carte. That perhaps account for struggle, horse-trading, scheming, high-wired politics and the likes highly prevalent among members of the political class, employed to outwit one another.

In Kwara State, the journey into the seat of power, popularly known as Ahmadu Bello House, has begun, notwithstanding that the election is some 20 months away if the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission is to be considered.

It is not in doubt that the gubernatorial contest would be an interesting episode in the political annals of the state, giving the current permutations among the leading contenders and the sentiment for power rotation that has remained the talking point of political figures from Kwara North.

Since the creation of the 58 year-old Kwara, its Central Senatorial District is believed to have enjoyed the seat of power more than the two other senatorial zones of Kwara North and Kwara South even in spite of the military interference, which interrupted and ended abruptly the lifespan of most of the republics that Nigeria has experienced as a nation.

Pundits hold the view that with the incumbent Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who doubles as Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), rounding off his second term of eight years in office in 2027, the central zone where he hails from, would have ruled the state for 20 years while the southern district also had its fair share of the feast with only the North left in the lurch.

And with the current goings in the polity, most of the aspirants are likely to slug it out under the banner of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the re-branded African Democratic Congress (ADC), new destination of aggrieved politicians under the national coalition support group. Other political parties are also expected to have aspirants eyeing their tickets to ultimately stand as candidates in the poll.

In the coming governorship race, four politicians publicly indicated interest in Kwara North to vie for the seat of the governor on the platform of the APC including the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Engr Yakubu Danladi Salihu; a ranking Senator of Kwara North Senatorial District, Pharmacist Sadiq Suleiman Umar; a businessman, Alhaji Tajudeen Audu; and Haliru Dantsoho, a former state PDP Youth Leader.

For Kwara Central, names of prominent politicians such as incumbent Senator Saliu Mustapha (of Kwara Central), the Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman; a business mogul, Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki; a Director in the Rural Electrification Agency, Engr Suleiman Bolakale Kawu and a few others have also headlined as those that may throw their hats into the ring.

While most of the identified aspirants are either members of the APC or PDP, it is yet to be seen who is eyeing the gubernatorial seat on the platform of the ADC, where a prolific writer and former Editor with This Day Newspapers, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, is currently serving as the Interim National Publicity Secretary. This came after his departure from the PDP.

Even with unverified claims that the ruling party is disposed to power shift to the Northern axis after the completion of the tenure of the sitting Governor, none of the aspirants willing to fly the flag of the party at the next poll is leaving anything to chance to hold the ace, believing that politics is dynamic.

Some of the aspirants from the northern zone, with implicit confidence that the APC ticket would sway in the direction of their zone, recently met with the leadership of the state chapter of the party at its Secretariat in Ilorin where it was resolved that it would be better for the zone to arrive at one of them before going ahead with the primaries in the event that the contest is thrown open to allow aspirants from the two other zones participate.

Those who participated in the meeting, which the state APC Deputy Chairman, Abdullahi Samari Abubakar, presided over, include Speaker Yakubu Danladi Salihu, Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar, Haliru Dantsoho and Tajudeen Audu, who have not hidden their intentions to succeed the incumbent Governor AbdulRazaq.

Not minding the genuineness and imperative of the call for power rotation predicated on equity, justice and fairness, some analysts opine that limiting the choice of the successor to the northern zone of the state would deprive aspirants from two other zones the opportunity to unveil their blueprints aimed at advancing the course of governance.

Findings showed that most of the aspirants preparing to occupy the seat of power in the state are currently serving in one position or the other either at the state or national level, commanding large followership in their various domains. About two among those who have signified interest to take over the baton of leadership, including Tajudeen Audu and Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, are into private businesses. While the former is into hotel and hospitality among others, the latter is reputed for being a moneybag in his mining business.

A number of the aspirants parade credentials, wield political clout and influence among their loyalists and earn their trust, and these they capitalize on, to show prospective Kwara voters that they possess the wherewithal to rule the state in the next 22 months to come. Some of the aspirants also leverage their antecedents, banking on the intervention they facilitated for the well being and welfare of the people.

The aspirants are therefore analysed through what makes them standout and which could help bolster their chances as soon as whistle is officially blown for the commencement of the race.

SADIQ SULEIMAN UMAR:

Umar is a two-term Senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. A trained pharmacist, the legislator’s foray in politics began in 2019 when he was first elected to represent the state northern zone in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly under the banner of the APC, secured a return ticket in 2023 and went ahead to win for another term in the upper arm of the federal parliament, where he is presently serving.

As a ranking legislator, Umar is a senator, who commands respect among his colleagues owing to his intellectual capacity and experience in the private sector that he brings to bear in legislative debate.

The Kwara North senator chaired the Senate Committee on Industry, Trade and Investment upon the composition of the tenth National Assembly. Very recently, the leadership of the senate appointed him to chair its Services Committee.

He has undertaken empowerment programmes, and facilitated projects for the development of the zone he represents, thus earning him support among his followers. It is believed that he stands a good chance to pick the APC ticket when the time comes.

YAKUBU DANLADI SALIHU

Salihu, with SYD as sobriquet among his numerous supporters and admirers, is the incumbent Speaker of the state House of Assembly and led same in the ninth legislature. Even as Primus Inter Pares in the hallowed chamber of Kwara Assembly, the speaker represents Ilesha-Gwanara Constituency in the Baruten local government area of the state in the House.

In the House where he presides, Salihu has enjoyed the loyalty of his colleagues, especially with his leadership style rooted in humility, simplicity and readiness to identify with them.

Trained and certified as an electrical engineer at Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, the speaker has not wavered in changing the narrative of representation with several projects he undertook and facilitated to his constituency. His representation has given the people of Ilesha-Gwanara Constituency a new lease of life.

To show that he is concerned and truly hold dear the mandate of his people, Salihu led some lawmakers to meet with the new state Commissioner of Police, Mr Adekimi Ojo, upon assumption of office, to seek his help on the atmosphere of insecurity plaguing Baruten and Kaiama axis in recent times.

On account of age, the speaker has become very popular among his youthful populace with the ultimate hope that the flag of the APC may sway to his side when the battle commences.

TAJUDEEN AUDU

He is a popular businessman with speciality in hotel and hospitality industry. Audu, who hails from Lafiagi, Edu local government area of the state, is not a pushover politically.

He was in the 2019 gubernatorial race for the ticket of the APC until the incumbent Governor AbdulRazaq emerged winner in the primaries of the party and proceeded to win the governorship seat.

Audu is also seen to be warming up for the ticket of the APC having publicly shown interest during a recent meeting at the state party secretariat.

HALIRU DANTSOHO

A young politician from Kaiama area of the state, Dantsoho has continued to enjoy relevance in the polity.

His recent defection to the APC from the PDP followed his audacious call for the leadership of his erstwhile party to account for funds expended in the last general elections.

As a serving state Youth Leader of the PDP then, Dantsoho’s call was perceived as an affront against the leadership of the party, prompting the announcement of his suspension. But he insisted that he had resigned his membership of the party prior to the decision to wield the big stick against him.

At the recent meeting held with the leadership of the state APC, the young politician also spoke of his preparedness to secure the ticket of party for his governorship ambition.

SALIU MUSTAPHA

Even though he has not formally declared his intention to run for governorship, Mustapha, a native of Ilorin East local government area, is known to be a politician with clout and influence, commanding large following.

He is representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly and chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Production Services. Mustapha, with the title of Turaki of Ilorin, served as Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of political parties that metamorphosed into APC.

He is said to have played a key role in the formation of the ruling party. His philanthropy appears to be an advantage working in his favour to realize his ambition.

ABUBAKAR OLANREWAJU SULAIMAN

He is a prominent political scientist, who rose to the peak of his academic exploits as a Professor of Political Science. Sulaiman, popularly known as Alhaji Abu in his Okeleru country home of Ilorin West local government area, served as Minister of Planning during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

After Jonathan’s tenure, the erstwhile minister returned to the academia where he was elevated to the zenith of his career as a Professor. Sulaiman was eventually appointed as Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), an establishment under the purview of the National Assembly.

As a grassroot politician, the former minister once sought to govern Kwara and he has not hidden his plan to take another shot at the contest if opportunity provides self, though he has not made known his intention in the public glare.

ABDULFATAI YAHAYA SERIKI

A business mogul, Seriki has never been a minion in the political arena, having sought the ticket of the APC in the 2019 gubernatorial contest. However, he supported the incumbent Governor, who won the ticket then and emerged Director General of his Campaign Organization, the journey that culminated in the victory of his party, trouncing the then ruling PDP.

His interest in mining business with financial resources, in his kitty, has made him one of the respected figures. It is believed that Sekiri, who is from Ilorin East local government area, also wields influence and possesses magic wand to fly the flag of the APC as its gubernatorial flag-bearer.

SULEIMAN BOLAKALE KAWU

Kawu is a trained Engineer, who is currently a Director with the Rural Electrification Agency, an agency under the federal Ministry of Power. He has been known to have supported a number of communities, especially in getting them connected to the National grid.

Although the top bureaucrat has not publicly made his interest on the governorship race known, he is said to be preparing for the seat on the platform of the opposition PDP. He is believed to have embarked on clandestine consultation that may in the long run determine whether to would join the contest as being agitated among his supporters.

With the real contest 20 months away, pundits believe that the battle ahead would not be an easy one for both the ruling and opposition parties as the voting populace itself is keen about who takes over the mantle of leadership.

AHMED LATEEF works with Herald Newspaper, writes from Ilorin