Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The political realignment in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 elections intensified yesterday as all the political structures of the Deputy Senate Leader, Lola Ashiru, in Offa Local Government Area of the state have been collapsed into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This, according to THISDAY checks, might not be unconnected with the offshoot of the last governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where the serving Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, emerged.
The situation, it was learnt, led to the formation of G15 among the APC leaders, with Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ashiru, as a member of the group.
In view of this, a reconciliation committee was set up by the APC leadership, led by Colonel Abdulwahab Ademola Lawal, so as to resolve the issue, but in the end, it yielded no positive results.
The crisis, it was gathered, led to the defection of Senator Saliu Mustapha from the APC to the PDP, and he was later picked for the Kwara Central senatorial district ticket of the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
Also, a former leader of the APC in Patigi LGA of the state, Hon. Jiya Kolo, dumped the party and picked the Kwara North senatorial ticket of the PDP ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, yesterday, hundreds of APC members in the Shawo Central Ward, the home ward of the incumbent Kwara South Senator, Lola Ashiru, have collapsed the party structures into the PDP in Offa LGA of the state.
Speaking during the declaration in Offa, led by Ezekiel Adepoju, the APC defectors said that they are convinced of the leadership of former Senate President and the PDP leader, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, adding that the PDP provides a better platform for the political future of Offa and Kwara State.
The people, who said that the development was capable of altering the political atmosphere in Offa ahead of the 2027 general election, added that the development was followed by a spontaneous show of support from women in the ward, “who trooped out in large numbers shortly after the declaration to celebrate the decision.
“The women moved through the community in a solidarity rally, chanting traditional local songs and expressing their readiness to work for the success of the PDP at the polls.
“In their songs and chants, the women declared their support for Saraki’s leadership, and vowed to mobilise voters across Offa Local Government Area for the PDP in the 2027 elections.
“The development is particularly significant coming from Shawo Central Ward, the political home of Senator Lola Ashiru, and is being viewed within political circles as another indication of the growing contest for grassroots support in Offa ahead of the 2027 elections.”
Also, hundreds of members of the APC in the political ward of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq have declared their support for the PDP.
Speaking with journalists during the defection, the people, led by Mr. Taofeek Mohammed, cited disappointment with the APC administration and growing concerns over the direction of governance in the state.
Mohammed, who said that the defectors were received into the PDP fold with enthusiasm, added that their decision, coming from the governor’s own political base, sends a strong political message ahead of the 2027 elections.
“For a governor, who has repeatedly presented himself as a leader with strong grassroots support, the continued loss of hundreds of supporters from his own ward raises serious questions about the performance of his administration and his connection with the people,” he said.
The people, who said that political strength is not measured by government propaganda or social media claims, added that performance is measured by the confidence of the people.
“When hundreds of people leave a ruling party in the governor’s own backyard and choose the opposition, it becomes difficult to dismiss such a development as ordinary political movement,” he said.