Political and community leaders from Kwara South Senatorial District have firmly rejected calls for the zoning of the state’s governorship position, declaring that competence and capacity should determine who governs the state in 2027.
At a roundtable meeting held on Saturday at Oro in Irepodun Local Government Area, the stakeholders maintained that neither the Nigerian constitution nor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) constitution makes provision for zoning.
The gathering, convened by Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, Director General of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), drew prominent figures including the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru; the APC Senatorial Chairman for Kwara South, Olayemi Olabanji; House of Assembly member Hon. Owolabi Rasaq; and former APC state chairman Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa.
Senator Ashiru reiterated his opposition to zoning, stressing that no such arrangement had ever existed in Kwara’s political history. “There is no zoning arrangement anywhere. We reject it in its entirety. We have competent people across the state who can govern in 2027,” he said.
Bolarinwa described the turnout as a show of unity, noting that zoning has no legal or constitutional backing in the state’s politics. “We have qualified candidates who can govern this state. We are not timid,” he declared.
Olabanji warned that no governorship candidate could succeed without the support of Kwara South, insisting that the district must not be undermined in political calculations. “Anyone who wants our support must negotiate with us,” he said.
In his remarks, Hon. Rasaq called for greater attention to insecurity in the senatorial district, but also emphasised that Kwara South had the capacity to produce the next governor.
Barrister Abiodun Dada also rejected zoning claims, stressing that the governorship “is the birthright of every Kwaran” and cannot be restricted to any district.
The roundtable, themed “Unity for Progress: Charting a Sustainable Future for Kwara South”, also praised President Bola Tinubu for appointing several Kwara South indigenes to key federal positions, describing the gesture as a sign of inclusion and fairness.
Saturday’s resolution sets the stage for a heated contest in 2027, as it directly counters persistent demands from Kwara North leaders for the governorship to be zoned to their district.
