AbdulRazaq to face five others in Kwara governorship race

• Published date: 12 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Six major political parties are vying for the Kwara State governorship seat in the forthcoming general elections. But, only the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) has the wherewithal to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the contest. Correspondent ADEKUNLE JIMOH reports

Contestants in the forthcoming governorship election in Kwara State have been trying to outdo one another to canvass the support of the electorates. Many of the contestants have been engaging in mutual accusations and counter-accusations to make their candidates popular. Others are resorting to bare-faced lies and pernicious propaganda to ruin the chances of their opponents.

The most visible parties so far in the ongoing electioneering campaign are the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); the main opposition party, the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP); the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNDP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP). Another party in serious contention for the Kwara governorship seat is Labour Party (LP).

The flag bearers of these are Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (APC) who is seeking reelection; Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi (PDP); Prof Shuaib AbdulRaheem (NNPP); Hakeem Lawal (SDP); Waziri Yakubu Gobir (YPP) and Abubakar Basambo (LP).

In the opinion of keen watchers of Kwara State politics, however, the election would be a straight fight between AbdulRazaq's APC and the PDP, which is trying to stage a comeback to power in the North Central state. The PDP's bid to return to power is being propelled by former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, who has been in the political wilderness since the last general elections in 2019.

The APC appears to have a slight edge in the contest because the opposition is fragmented and weak. Three of the candidates vying to govern the state this time around - those representing the YPP, the SDP and the NNPP - were key members of the coalition that brought the current government to power, through the 'otoge' movement. They would have been in a better position to grab power if they had joined forces with the main opposition party, the PDP. Besides, three of them - i.e Prof Shuaib AbdulRaheem, Hakeem Lawal and Waziri Yakubu Gobir - are from Kwara Central senatorial district with the current governor.

Thus, the odds appear to favour the ruling party.

APC:

AbdulRazaq is banking on the general acceptability by the vast majority of the masses, who will be swayed by his sterling performance in the last three and half years. The unusual simplicity...