RE:Kwara 2027: Who did you think will emerge from this region to face aspirants from south and central at APC Guber primary

By Bashir Ashura

As a native of Kwara North, it is a shared aspiration among us to witness a thriving and prosperous Kwara North in our lifetime, a kwara North that transcends the current socio-economic challenges and becomes a guide of progress for all its inhabitants. The prevailing sentiment among my fellow Kwarans from the North is a mixture of hope and disillusionment. Hope, because there was a time when we believed that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq heartily loves Kwara North coupled with his frequent stay in Patigi during his first tenure. Disillusionment, because, despite the initial optimism, the harsh reality is that meaningful development remains elusive in Kwara North under the current administration.

The recent stir caused by a circulated flyer by the Just event online prompted a reflection on the political dynamics of our beloved Kwara North. Indeed, as an observer of the political scene, I find it premature for there to be a push for political positions when it is barely a year after the last general elections. We had anticipated this period to be a time for the administration to focus on delivering the good governance that was promised but underdelivered in its first tenure.

The pressing question that emerges from the current political intrigue is whether the “Kwara North Agenda” is genuinely for the benefit of Kwara North or if it is merely a guise for the APC’s personal political interests for Abdulrahman’s third term. To address this concern, it is pre-emptory to examine the inclusivity of the political advocacy for Kwara North. The “Kwara North Agenda” should not be an exclusive club for a select few. The absence of key figures like “Hon. Zakari Muhammad, Hon. Isa Bawa, Alhaji Yahman—the former PDP candidate, Benjamin, and Prof. Issa Gana, Baba Idris and Honourable Musa Buko and host of others” from the current advocacy efforts raises eyebrows. The inclusion of Distinguished Adamu Manko, Hon. Ahman Patigi, Hon. Yakubu Danladi, Hon. Jiya Kolo alone is not sufficient. A genuine Kwara North Agenda should be broad-based, circumscribe all stakeholders, irrespective of their party affiliations, for the sake of our region’s advancement.

Note that; I am not a member of APC. Yet, I supported the original “Kwara North Agenda” in 2023, even when some within the APC ranks refused to back their own fellow Kwara Northerner. It is my belief that regional development should transcend partisan politics.

Therefore, if the Kwara North Agenda is to be authentic and transformational, it shouldn’t have been hijacked the way we are seeing it today by the narrow interests of a few. It should have been a collective vision that includes all sons and daughters of Kwara North who are committed to the Kwara North development.

Only when the Kwara North Agenda becomes synonymous with inclusivity, equity, and shared prosperity, rather than being a cloak for partisan pursuits, can we truly say that it is serving its purpose. But for now, hands to be on deck, all efforts to be channeled towards building the Kwara that we all envision. Let us not allow the political agendas of a few to overshadow the collective dreams of many. The future of Kwara North should be built on the solid foundation of unity and genuine desire for regional upliftment, not the shifting sands of political expediency.

We owe it to ourselves and future generations to ensure that the Kwara North Agenda becomes a reality that benefits every indigene, regardless of political affiliation. Our unity in diversity is our strength, and our commitment to a common agenda is our pathway to prosperity, not the APC-AGENDA

Note, no room for any godfather to impose his stooge on us. If there must be kwara North Agenda, then, there won’t be any micro zoning on a particular constituency or a particular perso. A word is enough for the wise.