‘Kwara 1’ is collective identity, not personal property, Seriki team replies Atunwa

The campaign team of Ambassador AbdulFatai Yahaya Seriki Gambari has rejected claims by former Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker, Razak Atunwa, that the phrase “Kwara 1” is his exclusive campaign slogan, describing the assertion as unfounded and inconsistent with democratic norms.

The response followed a statement by Atunwa, through his media aide, Nafiu Babatunde Bolaji, accusing Seriki, an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant, of attempting to appropriate the slogan.

Atunwa said the phrase was coined during his 2019 governorship campaign and claimed it is “copyright protected.”

But the AMBA New Media Team said the expression cannot be owned by any individual, maintaining that it represents a shared aspiration among the people of Kwara State.

“For the record, ‘Kwara 1’ is a simple, generic expression that reflects a collective desire to put Kwara first in governance and development,” the team said in a statement. “It is not a proprietary creation, nor has it been registered or legally protected under any recognized framework in Nigeria.”

The group added that political messaging often evolves into common language when it resonates with the public, and warned against attempts to “privatize what rightly belongs to the people”.

Atunwa, a former PDP governorship candidate in the 2019 election and ex-member of the House of Representatives, had earlier urged Seriki’s team to stop using the phrase and develop its own campaign slogan.

He argued that “Kwara 1” has long been associated with his political identity and connection with voters.

In its rejoinder, the Seriki campaign dismissed the claim, stressing that its use of the phrase is driven by a commitment to the people and in line with lawful political engagement under Nigeria’s Electoral Act.

The team said its campaign remains focused on issues such as development, security, prosperity and inclusive governance, rather than disputes over commonly used expressions.

“We urge all political actors to engage in issue-based campaigns and refrain from claims that lack legal standing,” the statement said. “Kwara belongs to all of us, and so do the aspirations that unite us.”