By Toyeeb Omotayo
A renowned socio-cultural organization in Kwara South Senatorial District of Kwara state, Orisun Igbomina has described the recent comment by the Senator representing the District at the National Assembly, Arch. Lola Ashiru, suggesting he is against zoning gubernatorial position in the state come 2027, as a tactics to advance negotiations to secure his senatorial mandate for the third term.
The National President of Orisun Igbomina, Chief Gbenga Awoyale while reacting to Sen. Ashiru said “The statement by the Kwara South Senator is nothing to be taken serious.
“It is just an encrypted message to advance his agenda to return to the Senate for the 3rd term because he knows it should ordinarily be Igbomina’s turn. But I wish to let Sen. Ashiru know that it will not work.
“Of course, one would not expect Sen. Ashiru to support zoning gubernatorial ticket to Kwara North in 2027, because he feels if the formula, which guarantees fairness and equity is adopted and generalized, it would affect him as well.
He won’t return to Senate. So, he has to start talking down on zoning arrangements early enough,” he said.
Awoyale emphasized that “In 2027, for us in Kwara South, it is Igbomina’s turn. We are also favorably disposed to zoning the governorship to Kwara north to ensure the longstanding imbalance in power rotation in the State is resolved and there is no better time to achieve that than now.
Going down memory lane, Awoyale said “Kwara South is a tripod, consisting of Igbomina, Ekiti and Ibolo extractions. Since return of democracy in 1999, we’ve had four Senators within that 25years, out of which Igbomina only served 5years, while Ekiti and Ibolo served 12years and 8years respectively. By the time Sen. Ashiru who is an Ibolo man completes his second term, it would be 12years spent by the Ibolos in Kwara South Senate.
It is therefore utterly unfair for anybody to be plotting continued marginalization of the most populous segment of the Kwara South.
“Emphatically, Sen. Makanjuola Ajadi – an Igbomina man served as Kwara South Senator between 1999 and 2004; Sen. Simeon Ajibola – an Ekiti man between 2004 and 2015; Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim – an Ibolo man between 2015 to 2019, and he was succeeded by another Ibolo man – Sen. Lola Ashiru in 2019, who remains our Senator till date.
“We see the recent comments by Sen. Ashiru as a ploy to attract political attention and invite politicians to negotiation table with him, where he can advance his selfish third term senatorial ambition.
“In clear terms, Orisun Igbomina stands strongly by zoning governorship of Kwara state to the Northern Senatorial District, while also affirming our commitment to ensuring we halt the continued marginalization of the Igbomina people in Kwara South Senatorial District by making working with our well meaning and altruistic brothers from Ekiti and Ibolo axis to have a fair and inclusive representation in government”, he reiterated.
Awoyale added that “It is funny that Sen. Ashiru is taking about the need for politicians to come tell him what they will do for Offa people before he can support anybody for Governor, when he himself couldn’t convince us in Arandun for his reelection bid but only rode on the euphoria of the APC.
“I asked the Senator when he came to my house during reelection campaign and he was asked the same question he is asking; what have you done for our people, what do you have for them?
But his response was that he did projects in Irepodun LG headquarters and cannot be taking projects to everyone’s corridor. It was an unsatisfactory response but in the spirit of brotherhood, we still supported him.”
Awoyale urged the people of Kwara state to be wary of politicians who engage in die-minute monetization of the political process to hoodwink them and support people who have demonstrated genuine passion and responsibility towards serving them.
The Deputy Senate Leader and senator representing Kwara South senatorial district, had said that zoning arrangements will not be considered in the 2027 governorship race in the state, during a parley with Association of Kwara Online Media Practitioners (ASKOMP).
The Senator argued that Governorship is never zoned in Kwara state, adding that anybody who want to become a governor must be prepared to work hard, show what he is bringing to the table for his community. He noted that politics is about negotiation and bargain.
