29/08/2026
KWARA NORTH: A MOMENT OF UNITY, A TEST OF CHARACTER, AND A CALL TO CONSCIENCE.
By Murshid Ndanuwan
Imagine a family with three households, where two
have been eating nutritiously in the ratio of 20:8, while the third household remains constrained, deprived, and without access to its fair share of the family’s resources.
Then comes a moment when the leaders of the constrained household rise in unity, readiness, and commitment to negotiate, appeal, and demand what is rightfully theirs. This, in many ways, presents a case study of Kwara State.
For the past two years, the youths, stakeholders, traditional rulers, and political leaders of Kwara North have been up and doing not for personal gain, but for the consideration of executive power being ceded to Kwara North, regardless of the individual who eventually emerges.
Different summits, conferences, rallies, consultations, and meetings both within and outside Kwara North have been held. These engagements have particularly involved prominent and relevant stakeholders from the sister zones of Kwara South and Kwara Central, all in pursuit of one objective: power rotation to Kwara North.
We can all bear witness to the records. Since the return of democracy, Kwara North comprising Baruten, Kaiama, Edu, Moro, and Patigi has never produced a Governor. Meanwhile, Kwara Central would be completing 20 years after the tenure of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, while Kwara South has already had eight years.
Traditional institutions have been playing their respectable yet rightful role in balancing power rotation. Politicians, too, have been playing their part in advocating for equity, fairness, and justice. However, within the political class, there are still individuals whose interests appear to be driven by the desperation to undermine the very principles of equity, justice, and fairness.
May they not succeed. Ameen.
All sons and daughters of Kwara North have risen to the occasion, including our highly revered traditional institution holders, demonstrating oneness and exemplifying the true meaning of unity in the collective pursuit of a united and politically empowered Kwara North.
A remarkable moment was witnessed when the prominent Makama of Lafiagi stood firmly alongside his brothers, Senator Sadiq Umar, Hon. Bio, and Speaker Yakubu Danladi. All are sons of Kwara North who participated in the internal political contest of the APC, demonstrating to the world that they were not divided.
They collectively affirmed that whoever emerged as the party's flag bearer would receive the support and backing of the others.
With the grace of God, without delving too deeply into the details, the youngest and most youthful among them eventually emerged as the party's flag bearer through a legitimate primary election that also produced other candidates across the party.
That promise of unity, the beautiful demonstration in white attire, the holding of hands, and the public declaration of solidarity now appears to be under serious question, as subsequent events have revealed a different reality.
From another part of Kwara North came a veteran politician who contested for a particular office in 2023 and was rejected at the general election. He openly declared that whoever emerged as the party's ticket holder would have his support, emphasizing that only God gives and takes power.
That statement caught the attention of almost everyone across the state.
It is therefore heartbreaking to see a man whom many believed stood firmly by his words appearing to work against the very principle he publicly preached.
God have mercy.
Such actions raise serious questions about character, consistency, and political desperation. If a person's promises can easily be abandoned when circumstances change, what becomes of those promises when greater power is entrusted to him?
Again, we have a calm and seemingly honest man from Kwara North, whom many entrusted with a mandate under a gentleman's zoning arrangement.
It was an arrangement that significantly favoured him and contributed to making him what he is today. It was an agreement he personally acknowledged in his White Paper and one under which he had consistently advocated for zoning, equity, fairness, and justice.
Yet, today, there appears to be a departure from those very principles.
Many of us who entrusted him with the position he currently occupies were made to believe that he would be pursuing the governorship. We later discovered that he did not even purchase the governorship form, only for his name to subsequently appear under a supposed zonal arrangement that, according to many, was never intended for his zone.
Is this not another manifestation of political desperation?
In numerous commentaries and public statements, many have described the APC as unjust, alleging that its primary election was unfair simply because the outcome did not favour their interests.
But here lies the irony.
A man who aspired for the governorship and lost woefully in a legitimate primary election subsequently moved to a Non-Presidential political Party described by many as politically insignificant and allegedly sought to hijacked a ticket that had already been ceded to another individual through an open and direct primary process, without himself undergoing another primary or securing a consensus agreement.
Subhanallah!
Is it not ironic to condemn a process as unfair when it does not favour you, only to pursue an even more questionable process when circumstances change?
THE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING!
Here again, we have a brother from another region who failed in an open contest and subsequently moved to a politically weakened and rejected party, where he allegedly sought to take over a ticket from a deserving individual who had worked tirelessly and emerged victorious through a transparent internal party election.
Is this not greed or political overzealousness disguised as legitimacy?
Whatever the interpretation may be, the good people of Kwara State are watching. History is watching. And posterity will judge.
TO MY DEAREST REGION,KWARA NORTH.
Let us understand that this moment will continue to resonate in our hearts and minds as a defining period. A moment when we must decide whether we are prepared to save ourselves and the generations yet unborn from being treated as political afterthoughts or third-class citizens.
Our actions today will determine the rewards we receive tomorrow.
We must either work for the cause or work against it.
We must remain united, focused, principled, and committed to equity and justice. Our pursuit should not be about one individual, one politician, or one political party. It should be about a collective aspiration for fairness, inclusion, and equal opportunity for every part of Kwara State.
One fact remains undeniable:
The good people of Kwara State are progressing.
We are moving forward.
And by the grace of Almighty Allah, that destination we've all continue to clamour for as Kwarans, a harmonious Kwara founded on equity, justice, fairness and inclusion shall become a reality.
Insha Allah.
Murshid Ndanuwan, a Community Health Technologist, Community Development Advocate, PR Strategist ,Ex_Students Union Leader and Farmer Politician Writes From Lafiagi.
