Television Nigerian

According to Senator Lola Ashiru, the deputy Senate leader and senator from the Kwara South senatorial district in the National Assembly, zoning arrangements won’t be taken into account in the state’s 2027 governorship contest.

Ashiru said this in an interview with reporters at his rural Offa home.
The lawmaker for the All Progressives Congress (APC) insisted that in 2027, candidates for governor would come from each of the state’s three zones.

“The state’s governorship candidates had never been chosen based on their zoning arrangements.Kwara State never has zones for governorship. Anyone aspiring to the position of governor should be ready to put in a lot of work and effort during their campaign to win over voters.

“Although I acknowledge that a lot has happened since the Kwara north’s governor, Sha’aba Lafiagi, was in office, I still feel sorry for them. Lafiagi was denied Kwara State governorship due to zoning. He worked hard, waged a campaign, and fought for it. He negotiated for it. If you don’t approach me, you can’t tell me to cast my ballot for you. Additionally, I’ll ask what you can do for my community.

“I’ll ask any candidate for governor that approaches me what the community’s needs are. This relates to bargaining, politics, and negotiation. No position is ever zoned. We have not delegated the governorship anywhere.

“Even Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s most recent victory in an election did not zone Ilorin.” Nearly every politician who was willing to run for office did so. Every zone that was disputed. Additionally, AbdulRazaq received the support of the populace and their votes because they believe he can bring about the benefits of democracy. His second term was the same. It was not a ticket for a zone. He prevailed in the contest because he was better prepared than the others.

When you consider Lawal’s period, his governorship was also challenged, and so on. To put it another way, we’re not in a zoning regime because our goal is always the best outcome. To serve the public, we need individuals who are capable and equipped.

“Perhaps, potential candidates should come, persuade us, negotiate with us, sit down at a table with us, and explain what you would like to offer the people of Kwara State and Kwara South,” Ashiru said.

Ashiru continued, saying that Kwara South District should be given more attention, even though Governor Abdulrazaq had done a good job of bringing the benefits of democracy to every region of the state.

The deputy Senate Leader continued, saying he saw nothing improper or negative in any politician running for office in 2027 at this time, but he would not get involved.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso has been called back to the ruling party by a coalition known as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth, and President Bola Tinubu has been urged to arrange this.

They also demanded that Tinubu fire Dr. Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the APC, for “his failure to deliver Kano State to the APC in the last governorship election.”

Leading the coalition, Ali Mai Sango, stated that enabling Kwankwaso’s return to the APC will improve the party’s chances of winning Kano in 2027 when making the demand on Sunday in front of reporters.

As per his assertion, Tinubu’s pursuit of further presidential ambition can only be ensured by Kwankwaso’s political influence in Kano and Northern Nigeria.

According to him, Kwankwaso’s party’s chances of winning the next general election will be enhanced by Kwanduje’s loss of political significance in Kano.

Senator Godswill Akpabio has been asked to apologize by the Akwa Ibom Professionals, a collection of state stakeholders and professionals, for his remarks made against former governor Obong Victor Attah and other previous leaders.

The group’s national coordinator, Engr. Ufot Akan Umoren, also charged him with using polarizing strategies to undermine the existing government and further his political goals in a statement released in Abuja on Sunday.

Recently, Akpabio—a former governor himself—came under fire for asserting that Akwa Ibom had not seen any significant growth prior to his government in 2007. He also took pride in building other infrastructure, such as dual carriageways, as though these were ground-breaking accomplishments in the state’s history.

The text of the statement is, “Senator Akpabio’s deeds and words reveal him to be a healthy, conceited human being. He has gone too far by denigrating the character and work of His Excellency Obong Victor Attah, the man responsible for creating the present Akwa Ibom State, and even Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, the first indigenous governor of the state.

“It is ridiculous and an unacceptable spurning of the legacy and groundbreaking achievements of Obong Victor Attah and other leaders, which the state continues to enjoy even for future generations. His unfounded claim that Akwa Ibom State never experienced real development until he (Akpabio) became the governor in 2007 is.”

The government of Obong Victor Attah is credited for laying the groundwork and creating the master plan for the development of Akwa Ibom State. Every accomplishment Senator Akpabio has made while serving as governor of Akwa Ibom has its origins in the Attah government.

Major landmark projects such as the Ibom Airport, major highways, dualization projects, gas processing projects, the Ibom Icon and Golf Course, and a number of legacy projects that will benefit the people of Akwa Ibom State for many years to come were initiated, conceptualized, and started to be carried out by Governor Attah.

Above all, Obong Victor Attah led the charge in the struggle for the derivative money that the State is now receiving.

For six years, Senator Akpabio was a commissioner in Governor Attah’s administration. Who was he before Governor Attah chose him and gave him the chances that helped him advance to the position of governor? Akpabio embodies a classic case of the impoverished child who bites the hands that provide him with food.

After profiting from Akwa Ibom State, it is disgusting that Akpabio is going around making inflammatory, inciting, and divisive political statements that have the potential to spark a crisis and destabilize the State, rather than working with other leaders to take the State to the next level under Governor Umo Eno’s current administration.

As the Senate President, we challenge Senator Akpabio to list any accomplishments during his four years as Senate Minority Leader, his four years as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, and his current position. He ought to bring forward one suggestion he ever made to support Nigeria’s economy. He has nothing to point to, of course.

“As we will not hesitate to resist further attempts to divide the state with ethnic seeds of discord, we counsel Senator Akpabio to retrace his steps by tendering an unconditional apology to Obong Victor Attah, other leaders, the government, and people of Akwa Ibom State.”

“Akpabio ought to honor the electorate’s decision to elect Governor Eno, focus on his responsibilities as Senate President in Abuja, and quit sulking about Akwa Ibom State,” the group declared.