Ajia flags off 2027 governorship campaign, seeks support of Ilorin Baloguns

The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kwara State, Professor Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia, has formally commenced his 2027 gubernatorial campaign with a call for the establishment of a government that works for the people.

Ajia flagged off his campaign on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at Oja-Oba, near the Emir’s Palace in Ilorin, where he unveiled his “Forward Kwara Agenda” and outlined his vision for a people-centred, accountable and result-driven administration.

Speaking before supporters, traditional titleholders, community leaders, traders, artisans, transport workers, youths and other stakeholders, Ajia said his decision to commence the campaign at Oja-Oba was deliberate, describing the area as a place that shaped his understanding of work, sacrifice, dignity and the struggles of ordinary Kwarans.

The governorship candidate recalled that as a young boy in the 1980s, he walked through the area and assisted his biological mother and his father’s elder sister, who traded around Oja-Oba.

According to him, the experience gave him an early understanding of the resilience of ordinary families, particularly women who worked hard to support their households.

Ajia said his subsequent educational journey, including graduate education in the United States and experience in academic, business and institutional leadership, further exposed him to societies where public institutions function more effectively.

He, however, stressed that his intention was not to copy foreign systems wholesale but to adapt lessons from elsewhere to Kwara’s realities.

He said: “The people of Kwara are not poor because they are lazy. The people of Kwara are hardworking.”

Ajia argued that hard work alone could not permanently overcome weak systems, stressing that government must reduce the burden on citizens by improving healthcare, education, roads, security, transportation, employment and economic opportunities.

“You have carried Kwara for too long. Now government must carry its own responsibility,” he said.

The NDC candidate said his administration, if elected, would be guided by the principles of household stability and opportunity, with emphasis on food security, affordable healthcare, education, transportation, safety, jobs and income.

Under the proposed Forward Kwara Agenda, Ajia promised to strengthen community security, expand affordable health insurance, improve public transportation, link education and skills development to employment, and support traders, artisans, cooperatives and small businesses.

He also pledged to develop production corridors around the comparative advantages of different parts of the state, citing garri production around Osi, sweet potatoes in the Ibolo axis, aso-oke and other enterprises in Ilorin, the fish economy of Edu and Patigi, as well as soybean and yam production in the Baruten/Kaiama axis.

He said agriculture would be connected to processing, storage, transportation, markets and employment to ensure that agricultural production translates into jobs and prosperity for Kwarans.

Ajia further promised to improve worker welfare, establish a predictable framework for addressing outstanding pensioners’ gratuities, strengthen schools and healthcare facilities, improve water and sanitation, modernise markets and motor parks, and extend government services closer to communities.
He said every major commitment under his administration would have a timetable, responsible institution and measurable target, adding that his government would publish its commitments and regularly report progress.

“Every major promise will carry a timetable, a responsible public institution and a measurable target that Kwarans can monitor,” he said.

Ajia also unveiled his running mate, Elder Ajayi Israel Awolowo, describing him as a retired educationist with extensive experience in youth development and public service.

He said the partnership was designed to combine experience, fresh thinking, wisdom and energy in delivering the Forward Kwara Agenda.

The NDC governorship candidate subsequently introduced the party’s candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives and Kwara State House of Assembly, urging supporters to vote for the party’s candidates across the various elective positions.

He said a unified mandate would help the proposed administration avoid unnecessary conflict and legislative gridlock.

Ajia also urged voters not to stop holding elected officials accountable after elections, calling on citizens to monitor government promises, budgets and performance.

“We are not asking for a blank cheque. We are asking for the opportunity to serve—and accepting the obligation to account for that service,” he said.

Following the campaign flag-off, Professor Ajia paid courtesy visits to the four Baloguns in the Ilorin Emirate as part of his engagement with the traditional institution.

During the visits, the NDC governorship candidate sought the royal blessings, prayers and support of the traditional titleholders for his 2027 gubernatorial journey.

The visits formed part of Ajia’s efforts to reconnect with traditional and community leadership as he begins his campaign across Kwara State.
He reiterated his respect for the traditional institution and its role in promoting peace, unity and development within the Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State.

The engagement with the Baloguns also provided an opportunity for Ajia to present his vision for the state and seek the guidance and support of traditional stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ajia said his campaign would focus on building a government that prioritises the welfare of ordinary citizens, strengthens institutions and delivers measurable results rather than relying solely on political slogans.
The campaign is expected to continue with further engagements with stakeholders, communities and voters across the state as the NDC seeks to build support for the Forward Kwara Agenda ahead of the 2027 governorship election.