The Joint Ilorin East and South Community Development Association, an amalgamation of development organizations in Ilorin East and South Federal Constituency has demanded that the Kwara Central Senatorial seat be shifted from Ilorin West to other local government areas in the district.
The development group led by its Chairman, Mallam Abdullahi Sulu-Gambari and secretary, Comrade Omode AbdulRahman, aired its grievances in a radio jingle making the rounds on radio stations and various social media platforms in Ilorin.
The group alleged that the Ilorin West has occupied the seat for many years, noting that other local government areas — Ilorin South, Ilorin West and Asa — have been marginalised.
According to the group, it should be noted that since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999, the seat has only been occupied by politicians from Ilorin West local government, placing the other three local areas at a disadvantage.
It claimed that Adebayo Salman Is’haq, who hails from Ilorin West, won the Senatorial seat in 1999. He was succeeded by Gbemisola Saraki, also from the local government area, in 2003.
It added that a former Governor and member of the same local area, Bukola Saraki, held the office between 2011 and 2019. The current representative of Kwara Central Senatorial District is Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The group said: “It has been a while the Ilorin West has been dominating the corridors of power like Governor, Minister and other pivotal offices.
“It is just one of the four local government areas that make up Kwara Central Senatorial District. It is important that everything is shared equitably and all areas treated fairly.”
However, it urged stakeholders in the district to ensure that the worrisome pattern is altered, adding that “now is the time to change history”.
“That’s why we are calling on the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the Governor of the state, His Excellency, AbdulRazaq Abdulrahman, Senator Bukola Saraki, the leadership of the IEDPU and other major stakeholders to give room for others.
“They have qualified and able people who can function effectively well. This is for love to reign supreme in the district,” the group expressed.
