‘ Kwara won't zone 2027 governorship slot’

SENATOR Lola Ashiru ( Kwara South) has ruled out zoning of the state 's governorship in 2027.

There had been agitations for power to shift to other zones of the state, especially Kwara North.

But the Deputy Senate Leader told newsmen, yesterday, that the 2027 governorship position, like previous elections, would not be based on zoning because "governorship is never zoned in Kwara."

The All Progressives Congress ( APC) chieftain insisted that the incumbent, Governor Abdulrahaman

Abdulrazaq, had emerged twice because he contested and won the governorship based on merit, competence and acceptance. He said: " Anybody who wants to become the governor must be prepared to work hard, campaign hard and convince the people to vote for him. While I sympathised with the North for a long time, aside from the Shaabalafiagi period ( Lafiagi was not even given the governorship on zoning; he fought for it, worked hard for it, campaigned for and bargained for it). "Positions are never zoned. There is nowhere we ha ve zoned the position of governorship. Even the last election that was won by Abdulrazaq was not zoned to Ilorin; it was contested by almost all politicians that were ready to contest. I don't know the number of candidates that we ha ve from Ilorin, I don't know the candidates we ha ve from the North. They all contested. But because the people saw Abdulrazaq as the person that can deliver dividends of democracy, they all voted for him. So also his first term, it was not a zoned ticket. It was contested and he was more preferred to others."

The senator also cited Mohammed Lawal, whose governorship was contested too.

Ashiru added: "We are not a regime of zoning because we want the best in ever ything. We want people who are prepared and equipped to serve the people. "Hopefully, candidates will have to come and convince us. They ha ve to bargain with us, come to the table and tell us what they want to offer K wara people. In particular, you have to come to Offa and tell me what you want to offer the people of Kwara South," he added.

The lawmaker boasted that the ruling APC would still produce the next K wara governor.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Daju Kachollom ( left); Director, Finance and Accounts, Ityohuma Saawua and Director, Procurement, Mohammed Abdullahi during COVID- 19 intervention fund probe, at the National Assembly, Abuja.