2027: ‘If Gov AbdulRazaq nominates a cockroach or cow, we’ll support,’ says Ilorin East Council chairman

The Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area, Lukman Agbelere, has declared that local government chairmen will follow any candidate endorsed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, even if the nominee is a “cockroach or cow”.

In a one-minute radio conversation recorded in Yoruba, Agbelere said no local government chairman would publicly endorse any aspirant outside the governor’s directive.

The chairmen, he said, would work to persuade the public to follow the governor’s chosen candidate, regardless of personal preferences or political calculations.

“None of us can support any candidate; we have to wait for Governor AbdulRazaq’s directive. Even if he brings out a cockroach or a cow, we are the ones who know the work we will do to convince the public that this is the person to follow,” Agbelere said.

“So, we cannot declare where APC is going. It can be anyone among all the aspirants, by the will of God, destiny, and the influence of Governor AbdulRazaq.”

Backtrack

Agbelere previously made headlines last year after stopping a N200 million renovation of a Primary Healthcare Centre in Awodi, Gambari Ward II, a project facilitated by Senator Saliu Mustapha of Kwara Central.

In a video explaining his decision, Agbelere described Senator Mustapha as an “enemy” of the governor. “Ota oga mi, ota mi,” he said — “an enemy of my boss is my enemy.”

He insisted that the local government had the capacity to execute the project independently and framed the move as in line with the state government’s approach to grassroots development.

The halted project was part of a federal initiative to upgrade healthcare facilities at the community level, overseen by Senator Mustapha as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.