Beyond Godfathers: What Should Shape Kwara’s 2027 Governorship Election?
By Haroon Aremu
As Kwara State inches towards the 2027 governorship election, it is once again emerging as one of Nigeria’s most fascinating political battlegrounds. Aspirants are positioning themselves, alliances are shifting, and political calculations are intensifying.
Yet beneath the unfolding drama lies a far more important question than who eventually occupies the Government House in Ilorin.
The real question is this: What kind of Kwara will the next governor inherit, and what kind of Kwara will the people demand?
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq came to office on the promise of change, transparency and a departure from the old political order. As his constitutionally permitted tenure gradually draws to a close, attention has naturally shifted to the issue of succession.
More than a contest between individuals, the unfolding political developments have become a test of the maturity of Kwara’s democracy and the priorities of its electorate.
For a time, the succession appeared straightforward.
On May 19, 2026, Governor AbdulRazaq publicly endorsed Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), explaining that the decision followed consultations with party stakeholders and leaders. The endorsement immediately altered the political landscape. To many observers, the succession question seemed settled.
Politics, however, rarely follows a predictable script.
When the APC conducted its governorship primary, it was not Seriki who emerged victorious but the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu. According to the official results announced by the party’s primary election committee, Danladi-Salihu secured 94,990 votes, while Seriki polled 41,700.
The outcome immediately generated fresh political conversations.
If the governor publicly endorsed one aspirant but party delegates overwhelmingly chose another, what accounted for the difference? Was it simply the outcome of democratic competition within the party, or did it reveal the independent calculations of delegates exercising their constitutional rights?
Whatever the explanation, the episode demonstrated that endorsements, however influential, do not always determine political outcomes.
Yet another issue has continued to dominate discussions within and beyond Kwara: the enduring influence of political godfathers.
Godfatherism is hardly unique to Kwara. It has long shaped political contests across Nigeria, often raising questions about loyalty, influence and the extent to which elected leaders remain accountable to the people rather than to those who facilitated their emergence.
These concerns resurfaced following a widely discussed Facebook commentary by Femi Ogunshola titled “Between Two Godfathers: The Price of Going Back.”
The commentary drew attention to photographs showing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Engr. Bolakale Kawu, alongside former Senate President Bukola Saraki. In one image, Kawu appeared to be carrying Saraki’s mobile phones. In another, Saraki sat comfortably while Kawu was seated on the floor.
Whether those photographs accurately reflected political relationships is ultimately open to interpretation. Images rarely tell complete stories. Nevertheless, in politics, perception often proves as influential as reality. The photographs resonated because they revived longstanding public debates about political influence, mentorship and dependency.
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Another episode soon added fresh fuel to the conversation. Following reports that a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) earlier promised to the Chief Imam of Ilorin had yet to be delivered, Saraki reportedly pledged to provide a replacement before the following afternoon. Before long, both the Kwara State Government and Saraki separately presented SUVs to the respected religious leader.
The development quickly became one of the most discussed political stories in the state. It was no longer simply about who donated a vehicle. It became a symbolic contest over influence, generosity and political visibility.
Some interpreted the gesture as genuine philanthropy. Others saw it as subtle political competition. Perhaps it contained elements of both. Whatever the interpretation, the episode illustrated how even acts of goodwill can acquire political significance during an election season.
Another widely discussed moment involved a meeting between Bukola Saraki and Senator Saliu Mustapha at an airport.
Given the political stature of both men, public curiosity was inevitable. Saraki remains one of the most influential figures in Kwara politics, while Mustapha occupies an important position within the APC as the senator representing Kwara Central.
Predictably, questions followed. Was the meeting merely a courtesy visit? Was it an informal conversation? Could it signal future political collaboration? Or was it simply an encounter whose significance has been exaggerated by public speculation?
Without direct clarification from the participants, any conclusion remains speculative. Yet politics thrives on speculation, particularly during periods of heightened political activity. In election seasons, even a handshake can become a headline.
While these developments continue to dominate political discussions, there is a danger that Kwara’s 2027 election could become excessively focused on personalities rather than policies.
The contest should not become a referendum on political godfathers. Nor should it revolve solely around who commands greater influence within party structures.
Democracy is healthiest when elections are decided by ideas rather than allegiances. Nearly six decades after Kwara State was created in 1967, citizens deserve a more substantive conversation about the future of their state.
Has Kwara fully realised its economic potential? How should agriculture be modernised?
What practical steps are needed to create employment for young people?
How can healthcare, education, infrastructure and industrial development be accelerated?
What strategies will improve internally generated revenue without placing excessive burdens on citizens?
How should technology and innovation drive governance over the next decade?
These are the questions that deserve centre stage.
Ultimately, every aspirant seeking the governorship should be evaluated less by political endorsements and more by competence, character, vision and demonstrable capacity to govern.
Political structures may help candidates win elections, but they do not build roads, improve schools, create jobs or strengthen healthcare systems. Effective governance requires strategic thinking, administrative competence and unwavering commitment to public service.
As 2027 approaches, Kwarans have an opportunity to redefine the terms of political engagement.
Rather than asking who enjoys the backing of the most influential political figures, perhaps the more important questions are these: Who possesses the clearest development blueprint? Who understands the state’s challenges? Who can unite diverse interests? And who will place the aspirations of ordinary citizens above political calculations?
Political drama may generate headlines, but it is good governance that changes lives.
When the ballots are eventually cast, history is unlikely to remember who had the louder endorsement or the stronger political machinery. It will remember whether the people of Kwara chose a leader capable of advancing the state’s development and securing a better future for generations to come.
Haroon Aremu is a Master’s student at Bayero University, Kano. He can be reached via [email protected].
