INEC Confirms Kwara National Assembly Candidates [Full List]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the candidates who will contest the 2027 National Assembly election in Kwara State.

The list covers candidates for the three senatorial districts and the six federal constituencies in the state.

For the Senate, Senator Saliu Mustapha has been confirmed as the candidate for Kwara Central, while Saheed Popoola will contest for Kwara South.

Kolo Baba Jiya is the confirmed candidate for Kwara North Senatorial District.

The electoral body also confirmed candidates for the House of Representatives across the state’s six federal constituencies.

They include Prof. Fatai Ayinde Aremu for Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency, Saka Yusuf Eletu for Ilorin East/Ilorin South Federal Constituency and Mashood Bakare for Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Naija News reports.

Others on the list are Gbenga Joseph Obanla, who will contest for Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency; Shaaba Usman Kawu for Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency; and Ahmed Abubakar Sadiq for Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, Jimoh Muhammed, has weighed in on the reported disagreement between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Muhammed, however, stressed that his comments were made in his personal capacity as a lawyer and did not represent the official position of the NBA Ilorin branch.

His reaction followed Wike’s recent criticism of AbdulRazaq during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Wike had alleged that the Kwara governor was among those leading efforts against him politically.

“Take for example, Kwara, he has been the one championing this campaign against me everywhere. Yes, I have confronted him too. I don’t talk about what I cannot defend,” the minister said.

Wike also claimed that AbdulRazaq had accused him of sponsoring political candidates opposed to the governor’s preferred choices in Kwara.

He further argued that the governor should appreciate his decision to provide a political platform for some aggrieved APC members who left the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rather than joining groups opposed to President Bola Tinubu.

Commenting on the disagreement in an interview with Vanguard, Muhammed said the reasons behind the strained relationship were best known to Wike and AbdulRazaq.

“I’m not speaking in my capacity as the NBA chairman Ilorin branch, I’m speaking as a lawyer. The issue between FCT Minister and Kwara State governor is best known to both of them,” he said.

The lawyer noted that political differences could exist between the two men, but expressed concern that both Wike and AbdulRazaq belong to the same political establishment.

“There may be political issues, political differences between the two of them. Okay? So FCT minister who is having a daily bread from APC and at the same time attacking the state governor who is also APC, there must be something fishy between the two of them,” Muhammed stated.

Muhammed also questioned the absence of an apparent public response from the Federal Government regarding Wike’s criticism of the governor.