A leading figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Isaac Adeyemi, has called on the party to keep the 2027 governorship ticket open to aspirants from all senatorial districts, arguing that competence, not zoning, should guide the choice of candidate. His remarks come amid growing agitation for the governorship to rotate to Kwara North, a move he described as politically driven rather than rooted in the state’s political history.
Speaking with Punch Online on Friday, Adeyemi dismissed the zoning debate as unnecessary and inconsistent with Kwara’s democratic tradition. “Honestly, we have never zoned the governorship in Kwara. In 2023, it was between S.Y. Abdullahi from the North and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq from Central. What is the need for zoning now? Practically, there is no need for it,” he said.
He warned that limiting the field to a particular zone could weaken internal cohesion within the party. According to him, an open process would better reflect democratic values and strengthen unity. “Let everybody be involved in the selection of who represents them and don’t close doors on some aspirants. For governorship, let all be involved. Leave it open. We need competence now. Let us pick the party candidate from any of the senatorial districts,” Adeyemi stated.
Reinforcing his position, he stressed that inclusiveness and merit must take precedence if the state is to make meaningful progress. “Democracy involves all. But above all, competence will have its way if we really want to move forward,” he said, adding that much of the zoning agitation appears to be driven by personal ambition rather than genuine grassroots demand. “We should not concern ourselves with the opinion of others. We just need to educate ourselves and preach that competence is what is needed now.”
Adeyemi also cautioned traditional rulers against taking positions on zoning, urging them to maintain neutrality. “Traditional rulers are our fathers. They should remain fathers of all. They should not dabble into what they should not dabble into,” he said.
Assessing the performance of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Adeyemi acknowledged visible progress in infrastructure, particularly in Kwara Central, but called for a more balanced approach across the state. “Honestly, he has done well in infrastructure, especially in Kwara Central. But he should give contracts to Kwara indigenes and move the big contractors to other districts,” he noted. He also criticised what he described as weak party engagement, saying internal activities need to be taken more seriously. “Party activities need improvement. The party is concentrating on birthday wishes now; not much political meetings.”
Speaking from the perspective of Kwara South, Adeyemi recognised President Bola Tinubu’s contributions to his district but expressed a clear aspiration for greater political representation.
“I thank God that President Tinubu has been doing well for my senatorial district, but like Oliver Twist, we need more. My zone wants to produce the next governor. We need the President to support us,” he said.
Historically, Kwara State has not adopted a formal zoning arrangement for the governorship. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq from Kwara Central succeeded Abdulfatah Ahmed from Kwara North in 2019, while Ahmed himself took over from Bukola Saraki, also from Kwara Central, who governed between 2003 and 2011. The 2023 APC primary featured aspirants from both the North and Central senatorial districts.