2027: Prof. Abdulmumin Ajia declares for ADC, unveils ‘Kwara repair agenda’

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a University don and public policy advocate, Pofessor Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia, has formally declared his political alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Ajia disclosed his decision to join ADC in a declaration on Tuesday in Ilorin, unveiling what he described as a “systems-first” approach to governance in Kwara State.

Speaking to journalist, the Ilorin-born scholar who is the Professor and Chair, School of Business at Lincoln University, said his decision to join the ADC was driven by the need to reposition governance in the state from personality-driven politics to institutional reforms that deliver predictable outcomes for citizens.

Ajia said the ADC provides room for coalition building and policy-focused politics, saying the party “gives space for seriousness over noise, competence over entitlement, and coalition over personality cults,” he said.

Ajia and supporters at Declaration on Tuesday

Kwara Repair Agenda

The American-trained educator anchored his policy thrust for development of Kwara State on four-point which he described as a “Kwara Repair Agenda.”

The first pillar, according to him focuses on building opportunity systems that reward honest effort through enterprise support, simplified regulatory processes, and stronger links between skills training and market demand.

While the second pillar centres on reliable service delivery in sectors such as healthcare and education, his third agenda proposes deeper fiscal transparency, including public access to project tracking systems, open procurement processes, and clearer performance reporting.

The fourth pillar addresses security through stronger coordination between state institutions, community structures, and federal security agencies.

Ajia stated that governance failures in many parts of Nigeria stem from weak institutions rather than a lack of effort by citizens.

“People do not fail first. Systems fail first,” he said. “When systems collapse, people adapt to survive. But when systems work, people rise.” he said.

According to Ajia, his proposed governance philosophy offers clear contrast to where residents experience governance “by appearance rather than by design,”.

He noted that many projects under the current administration in Kwara state are only being announced and commissioned without long-term systems for maintenance and service delivery.

Ajia lamented that access to opportunities in the state currently often depends on personal networks rather than predictable institutional processes.

“Good governance should be boring because it is predictable,” Ajia said, adding that “Citizens should know the rules and should not need favors to function.”

While noting that Budgit Foundation, a public accountability and civic organisation’s ranking of Kwara as 12th in its State Fiscal Transparency League for the first quarter of 2025 represent improvements in budget publication, he noted with concerns the existing gaps in procurement transparency and citizen accessibility to fiscal information.

He also referenced reforms tracked by the World Bank, which showed improvements in business registration and construction permit processes in Ilorin following regulatory adjustments.

On healthcare, Ajia said while some indicators show progress, challenges remain in routine immunisation coverage and access to consistent health services across the state, adding “that only about 26 percent of children in Kwara State received all recommended vaccines” citing findings from Nigeria Demographic and Health.

“Kwara’s health story is not a slogan,” he said. “It is a systems challenge—progress in some areas, but uneven reliability in others.”

He called on professionals, youth leaders, women groups, traditional institutions, and members of the Kwara diaspora to participate in building a governance model centred on systems reform rather than political spectacle.

Ajia urged citizens to evaluate political leaders not by campaign excitement but by the clarity of their ideas and the discipline of their policy frameworks.

“Skepticism is understandable,” he said. “Judge us not by slogans or excitement, but by the seriousness of the framework and the quality of the team that emerges around it.”

He further stated that Kwara could achieve sustainable development if governance structures are deliberately redesigned.

“Kwara can work. Kwara can become a state where effort leads to dignity,” he said. “But it will not happen by slogans. It will happen by design and discipline” he remarked.

ADC Party registration

After the declaration, Professor Ajia would later lead party faithfuls to Akanbi ward 5 in Ilorin South local government where he facilitated the registration of new members of the party.

The exercise is expected to extend to other part of the State as the scholar continues to engage with critical stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general elections.