Kwara 2027: Ifelodun LG APC Stakeholders Ask Senator Ashiru To Run For Governor…He’s Uniquely Qualified-Falola…There’s Been No ‘Zoning Arrangements’ Since 1999-Owolabi

APC stakeholders in Ifelodun local government on Wednesday asked the Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Lola Ashiru to join the 2027 Kwara State gubernatorial race while also pledging support for his candidacy.

The APC leaders made public declaration of support for Senator Lola Ashiru’s candidacy in the communique issued after the end of the consultative meeting held at Egbe Omo Ibile Igbomina Hall on Wednesday which had as its theme ‘Positioning Our Local Government For Political Responsiveness’.

‘1. 2027 Electoral Outlook

The meeting affirmed that the 2027 General Election presents a clear, realistic and winnable pathway for the APC in Kwara State, both at the governorship level and in state and National assembly elections. Kwara South, like the other senatorial districts, is endowed with tested, competent, and progressive leaders whose experience and track records qualify them for higher responsibilities at both state and national levels.

2. Firm Rejection of Divisive Narratives

The meeting categorically rejected all distractions anchored on narrow, exclusionary, and self-serving narratives, including the so-called ‘Igbomina Lokan’ agitation. This contrived campaign, driven by parochial interests of political opportunists and supported by their ilks from Offa and Oyun Local Government Areas, is a calculated attempt to marginalize credible aspirants of Ifelodun extraction, particularly in the House of Representatives race to pave way for their own candidates from these two local government areas.

 Notably, these same ‘Igbomina Lokan’ propagandists have dominated the other Kwara South federal constituency for over 25 years to the exclusion of Ekiti and Oke Ero Local Government Areas and now seek to extend such dominance to the Senate seat through political maneuvering. This agenda is unacceptable and will be firmly resisted. We therefore call and encourage all credible and competent progressives from the Ifelodun Local Government Area to contest the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency election in 2027.

3. Governorship Position

The meeting reiterated that the governorship of Kwara State is not the exclusive preserve of any bloc, group, or senatorial district. All three senatorial districts possess capable and competent progressives. In this regard, the meeting expressed strong confidence in leaders such as the Deputy Majority Leader of the 10th Senate, Senator Lola Ashiru, and strongly encouraged them to offer themselves for higher service. The APC leadership at the state and national levels is urged to guarantee fairness, equity, inclusiveness, and internal democracy in the process leading to the selection of the party’s governorship flag bearer.

4. Party Loyalty and Commitment

The meeting reaffirmed its unalloyed loyalty to the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and pledged unity, discipline, and strategic mobilization in strengthening the party, while legitimately and confidently advancing the political interests of Kwara South and Ifelodun Local Government in particular.

 Internal Security

The meeting expressed deep sympathy with communities in Ifelodun Local Government over the losses and displacement suffered as a result of banditry in the last eighteen months. While commending the kinetic efforts of the Federal Government, the meeting strongly urged an extension of sustained military operations to bandit hideouts across Kwara South to restore lasting peace and security.

6. Conclusion

The meeting expressed confidence that, guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda and reinforced by ongoing developmental strides in Kwara State, justice, stability, and shared prosperity will prevail’ the party leaders submitted in the communique read out by former APC Chairman, Ifelodun local government, Hon Lateef Qadri.

Talking to journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com, Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Barrister Olarenwaju Falola said Senator Lola Ashiru is uniquely qualified and has what it takes to serve as governor of the state.

 ‘In my speech, I highlighted a lot of qualities that are embodied in Senator Oyelola Ashiru. One, I said he is one of the old senators in the country who are helping to stabilize the National Assembly, and also helping to stabilize the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. He has moved several motions and when things are about to get bad, he’s one of those people that will always step in to stabilize the situation.

Secondly, his motions, contributions and senate floor speeches are extremely valuable. They are very valuable. He has moved motions that have to do with security, establishment of educational institutions and others. So, today, Senator Lola Ashiru stands out. I want to remind you too that he was voted as the best senator in 2025. The best senator in the whole of the country. Those are some of the qualities that we cannot ignore’ he said. 

Addressing the party members, who chorused ‘Owooo’ when he entered the hall at 2.54 pm, a member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Razaq Owolabi urged unity among APC members and leaders in the local government while also emphasizing the need for the political office holders to work together and ensure ‘unity of effort’ in respect of the fight against insecurity.

He disclosed that his New Year’s resolution is to forgive those who have offended him while asking those he may have offended to also forgive him.

 The state lawmaker also noted that ‘who gets what’ in 2027 is the root cause of intra party conflict in the APC while God already knows who will occupy positions of authority in the state in the next political dispensation.

He urged all party members to participate in the ongoing APC Membership E-Registration Exercise while noting that there is nothing like factions or divisions cognizant that every party member will support the party’s candidates in upcoming elections.

Hon Razaq Owolabi also asserted that there has been no ‘zoning arrangements’ in respect of the governorship elections in the state since 1999 and he held the audience spellbound while providing the supporting details.

Mr Biodun Oluwo, who urged Senator Lola Ashiru to join the 2027 gubernatorial race, said he has done creditably well as a senator and therefore needs to move to a higher position while Elder J.D Bello said the people of Oro-Ago Ward has benefited immensely from the senator and will get more if he becomes the governor of the state in 2027.

Mr Oyin Zubair, in his speech, emphasized the importance of civic and citizen engagement, transparency, ensuring timely disclosure of government activities, budgets and projects, knowing people’s needs, capacity building and even distribution of appointments and infrastructure projects.

He also urged unity among all the stakeholders in the local government while noting that participation of citizens should be encouraged and no decisions should be taken without their inputs.

‘Let it be made open and let the qualified people compete there is nothing that they need that Kwara South does not have ditto Ifelodun local government’ he said.

Earlier in his speech, Senator Lola Ashiru’s Senior Legislative Aide, Hon Benjamin Dairo Oyinloye noted that the Deputy Senate Majority Leader is disturbed about the security situation in Kwara South especially Ifelodun local government while urging APC members in the local government to ensure unity and party cohesion.

‘Insecurity has become the major problem in Kwara South. The senator is concerned about this. Talking about insecurity in Kwara South, if you look at the heatmap, we can say that it emanated from Ifelodun Local Government. God is good. He will help us to address this worrisome challenge.

 We will also talk about loyalty and commitment to the party. Senator urges us all to cohabit peacefully. We are one Ifelodun and one APC. It is not possible that there will not be misunderstanding but with love there are ways we can bring ourselves together. The senator implores us that we should let true love exist within the party in Ifelodun local government. We should also talk about party issues. You are all aware that elections are coming, when individuals will be vying for various political positions, God has predestined every candidate that will hold certain positions. Whoever is vying for any position, I pray that God will be with them’ he said.

He also asked the audience to observe a moment of silence for victims of insecurity in the state.

Ifelodun local government APC big wigs at the meeting include Alhaji Fatahi Labaka, Barrister Garba Hassan, Elder Oyin Zubair, Hon Jide Ashonibare, Elder Nicholas Agboola, Hon Lateef Qadri, Hon Razaq Adekola, Elder Peter Daramola, Chief Mrs. Ebun Oyeleye, and Prince Razq Owolabi -Team@orientactualmags.com   Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you.