Kwara North Elders Demands The Guber Candidates Slot

The Kwara North Elders Forum (KNEF), on Thursday wants the Governorship slot of Kwara State to be shift to Kwara North.

While addressing the pressmen in ilorin, the leader of the forum, Senator Mohammed Ahmed, stated that “Inspite of everything, we believe that based on good conscience , equity, fairness and justice, governorship slot of Kwara State should shift to Kwara North at the end of the current administration.”

Here is the press statement presented by Senator Mohammed Ahmed in details;

TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY KWARA NORTH APC LEADERS, ELDERS AND STALKHOLDERS ON THE DEMAND BY THE PEOPLE OK KWARA NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP SLOT OF KWARA STATE IN 2019.

Gentlemen of the press, we heartily welcome you to this press briefing on behalf of the people of Kwara North Senatorial District of our dear State.

The Kwara North APC Elders forum had in existence long before the recent political realignment in the State. The most important issue the forum has been pursuing vigorously is the demand for a shift of power in the State to Kwara North which is yet to produce a Governor of Kwara State since the return to civilian rule in 1999, almost twenty years ago.

As you are all aware, Kwara North Senatorial District of Kwara State comprises Five Local Government Areas of Baruten, Edu, Kaiama, Moro, and Patigi. The five Local Government areas have a combined population of 751, 903 as per 2006 censures figures.  This is 31.7% of the total population of Kwara State which stands at 2,365,353. The land area of Kwara North is about two thirds 2/3 of the total land mass of Kwara State.

The ethnic and cultural diversity in Kwara State is found in Kwara North where four of the five Local Government Areas are non-yoruba speaking. We have the Nupe speaking area to the East while the Batonu and Bokobaru speaking areas are in the West.

Moro Local Government area though Yoruba speaking and part of Ilorin Emirate occupies a very unique position in Kwara North. It provides the vital territorial link between Edu/Patigi axis and Baruten/Kaiama axis of the Senatorial District. Moro also provides the territory that makes Baruten/Kaiama axis contiguous to Ilorin the State Capital. It is for this reason that a direct road from Baruten/Kaiama axis through Moro remains a necessity for the Government of Kwara State.

Kwara North has several others economic endowments part from the larger land mass. The long stretch of River Niger from Gbajibo in Kaiama Local Government to Gakpan in Patigi Local Government harbor enormous economic potentials for the people of the State.

In addition, Kwara North is rich in several mineral resources which are waiting to be mines to the advantage of the State and the Nation.

Almost twenty years in our new uninterrupted democracy, the economic indices coming out of Kwara North present a sad scenario of under-development. The roads are bad,  water supply to rural populance is scarce, and education especially at the primary level is very appalling, health care is very far from the people, youths are unemployed and the farmers are not getting value for their labour. On all fronts, Kwara North is hopelessly disadvantaged.

Gentlemenof the press, Kwara North has since colonial times demonstrated robust brotherhood and partnership with the rest of the State. We are at all times supportive of those who were at the helm of affairs in the state. The following instances will suffice as examples.
Even as far as pre-independence days,  Kwara North has always gone with Ilorin politically.
In 1979 and 1983 (Second republic) the solid support we gave the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki against the political insurgencies led by late Chief J.S Olawoyin and even then Gov Adamu Atta can never be swept under the carpet.
Since 1999 to date the three terms enjoyed by Kwara Central Senatorial District as Governor viz-Late Mohammed Lawal and Dr. Bukola Saraki 2003-2011 were made possible by the Kwara North Senatorial District. It is also pertinent to note that this percentage given by Kwara North in open display of brotherhood was never got in Kwara Central itself. Shouldn't One Good Turn Deserve Another?

It is expected that at the minimum the good gestures from the good people of Kwara North should be reciprocated now that it is only Kwara North that is yet to produce a Governor for the State.

The present cream of the aspirants flooding the stage for the Governorship from Kwara Central is therefore worrisome as it tends to make mockery of our collective desire for order, fairness and justice.

A majority of our people are now asking where is our COMMON BOND, CULTURE AND HISTORY that has always been professed.

Inspite of everything, we believe that bases on good conscience, equity, fairness and justice the Governorship slot of Kwara State should be shift to Kwara North at the end of the tenure of the present incumbent Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed in 2019. We have not kept quiet on this issues since the election of the present Governor for second term.

Our traditional Rulers, elders, statemen and youths organizations across the Senatorial District are all on one page with us on this project. Every patriotic Kwara North citizen is asking for justice.

Additionally, we are proud of the calibre and qualities of the aspirants that have emerged from Kwara North for Governorship position. We are absolutely sure that whoever ultimately emerges will prove to be worthy of the position.

On this note, we are appealing to our brothers in Kwara Central and Kwara South to support what is true and do the needful by recognizing that as of right Kwara North should produce the next Governor of Kwara State. We urge the leaders of all political parties to adopt this position and present Governorship candidates only from Kwara North.

Thank you all.

Long live Kwara North
Long live Kwara State
Long live Nigeria