By ‘Wole Adedeji, Ilorin.
The people of Kwara North Senatorial District have demanded that they be given the slot to produce the next governor for the state.
The area, made up of Moro, Edu, Pategi, Kaima and Baruten Local Government Councils have complained of denials to produce Governor since the present of democracy began in 1999.
They had been reportedly promised the slot each election season in the past particularly by the political dynasty of the Sarakis; a promise they were to be denied at the last minute.
Politicians and opinion leaders from the state geo-political zone met in Ilorin recently and came up with a communique demanding among others, a long overdue slot for governorship seat come 2023.
Their communique said they were coming together to chart a common course and speak with one voice on several matters affecting them
According to them, “the Political and Economic emancipation of their land and people is no longer negotiable”.
They listed their demands through a resolution to include; their opposition to their alleged “way and the current Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University Malete, was appointed by KWARA State Government” describing it as “very disturbing and unacceptable”.
They called on daughters and sons of the geographical area to always come home from wherever they reside across the country to be counted during census exercises, get registered and collect voters’ cards as well as always come home to vote during elections.
They said in the communique that there was need to “create a stronger bond of unity and common political agenda aimed at the emancipation of Kwara North from political, educational, economic marginalisation and underdevelopment of the zone”.
The meeting begged all and sundry in the Zone to come together in unity under the same forum to pursue a common political agenda of developing the zone consequent upon which a ten-man technical committee was set up to harmonize the groups into one
It also said they had resolved to periodically consult traditional rulers for their opinion in taking decisions on matters concerning the zone.
The communique said: “For equity, fairness and justice the meeting called on the leadership of all Political parties in the state that the Governorship of Kwara state should be rotational among the three Senatorial zones in the State beginning with Kwara North in 2023″.
Key leaders of the forum included former Governor Shaaba Lafiagi, Sen. Haliru Idris Kaiama, Senator Ahmed Baba Zuruk and Senator S.Y Abdullahi.