Kwara Governorship 2027: Danladi and Zakari From the North Face Off Against Kawu of Central By Kabir Akintayo
As the countdown to the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State gathers momentum, political attention has increasingly shifted to Kwara North Senatorial District, a region that has remained on the margins of the state’s highest political office since the creation of Kwara State in 1967.
For nearly six decades, the governorship has alternated between politicians from Kwara Central and Kwara South, leaving the vast northern district without an opportunity to occupy the Ahmadu Bello Government House. Today, however, history appears poised for a dramatic turn as two prominent sons of Kwara North — Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Hon. Zakari Mohammed of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — emerge as leading contenders for the state’s top office.
Adding another dimension to the contest, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed respected philanthropist and retired federal director, Engr. Kale Kawu Agaka, from Kwara Central as its consensus candidate.
The emergence of these contenders has transformed the election from a conventional partisan contest into a broader conversation about equity, regional inclusion, political relevance, and the future direction of governance in Kwara State.
Politics Digest reports that, although both Yakubu Danladi Salihu and Zakari Mohammed hail from Baruten Local Government Area, their political journeys reflect two distinct generations and styles of leadership.
Zakari Mohammed, 56, represents the older generation of politicians whose rise was shaped by years of public service, media engagement, executive appointments, and federal legislative experience. A former spokesman of the House of Representatives, commissioner, and two-term member of the National Assembly, he possesses one of the most extensive political résumés among contemporary politicians in Kwara State.
Danladi, by contrast, embodies a younger generation of leaders. At 42 by the time of the election, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly has built his political profile through grassroots mobilization, legislative leadership, and youth engagement. His rise from student union activism to becoming one of the youngest Speakers in the state’s history reflects a different pathway to political prominence.
While Zakari’s strength lies in his national exposure and federal experience, Danladi’s appeal is rooted in his grassroots visibility and direct involvement in state governance.
Both candidates possess impressive educational credentials, though their professional backgrounds differ considerably.
Zakari Mohammed studied Sociology and Anthropology, Journalism, Civil Law, and Criminology. He later earned a Master’s Degree in Criminology and participated in the Emerging Leaders Programme at Harvard Kennedy School. Before venturing fully into politics, he built a successful career in journalism and broadcasting with the Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation, where he rose through the ranks as a producer and reporter.
Danladi’s foundation is in engineering. He obtained his Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic before earning a Bachelor’s Degree in the same field from the Federal University of Technology, Minna. Prior to politics, he worked at the National Water Resources Institute and the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
The contrast is evident. Zakari emerged from the worlds of communication, policy, and administration, while Danladi’s background is technical, administrative, and community-driven.
Perhaps the most significant distinction between the two candidates lies in the level of governance at which they have served.
Zakari Mohammed spent eight years in the House of Representatives representing Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency. During his tenure, he chaired influential committees, including Media and Public Affairs, Basic Education Services, and the Ad-Hoc Committee on Oil Swap Agreements.
His legislative record includes interventions on education reform, fiscal accountability, anti-corruption initiatives, and public sector oversight. He sponsored bills, moved motions on critical national issues, and played prominent roles in parliamentary investigations and oversight functions.
Danladi’s experience has been concentrated within state governance. Since 2019, he has represented Ilesha-Gwanara Constituency and has served as Speaker of both the 9th and 10th Kwara State Houses of Assembly.
Under his leadership, the Assembly has passed significant legislation on security, anti-kidnapping measures, anti-cultism initiatives, and public welfare. His supporters argue that he has helped maintain legislative stability and fostered a productive working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Simply put, Zakari brings federal legislative experience and national visibility, while Danladi offers state-level governance experience and institutional continuity.
Development achievements are expected to feature prominently in campaign debates.
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Zakari’s supporters point to his accomplishments during his years in the National Assembly. These include the reconstruction of 24 schools across Baruten and Kaiama, the provision of more than 50 boreholes, the establishment of the Federal Government Girls Unity School in Okuta, employment opportunities for over 110 constituents, and empowerment programmes involving motorcycles and other economic support packages.
Danladi’s supporters counter with a record that includes over 100 boreholes, classroom construction projects, solar-powered streetlights, rural road rehabilitation, educational support programmes, and youth empowerment initiatives.
While both candidates have visible records of constituency development, Danladi’s projects are generally perceived as more recent and closely aligned with the current administration’s programmes, whereas Zakari’s achievements are associated with his years in federal office.
In Nigerian politics, achievements alone rarely determine electoral outcomes. Political structures and alliances often prove decisive.
Danladi enters the race as the candidate of the ruling APC and enjoys the support of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s political machinery. He benefits from incumbency advantages, a well-established party structure, and the goodwill generated by ongoing government projects across the state.
His overwhelming victory during the APC primary election reflects the depth of his support within the ruling establishment.
Zakari Mohammed, however, carries a different kind of political capital. He is the beneficiary of a growing opposition coalition championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and supported by political forces seeking to challenge APC dominance in the state.
His emergence under the ADC banner has energized opposition supporters who view the election as an opportunity to reshape Kwara’s political landscape.
Moreover, Zakari’s longstanding relationship with former Senate President Bukola Saraki and his extensive network across the state provide him with considerable political leverage.
Beyond party platforms and individual credentials lies the issue that may ultimately define the election: equity.
Kwara North remains the only senatorial district yet to produce a governor since the state’s creation. This historical reality has fueled increasing calls for power to shift to the district in the interest of fairness and inclusiveness.
The candidacies of both Danladi and Zakari have transformed that aspiration into a genuine political possibility.
Political analysts argue that while this demonstrates the district’s growing political maturity, it could also dilute its bargaining power and produce one of the most competitive governorship contests in Kwara’s history.
Ironically, the emergence of two strong contenders from the same district has created a political paradox. Instead of rallying behind a single flagbearer, Kwara North now risks splitting its support between two formidable sons of the soil — a division that could inadvertently strengthen the chances of Kale Kawu from Kwara Central, unless one of the contenders steps down for the other.
Assessing electoral popularity remains an inexact science.
Danladi enjoys considerable support among younger voters, APC loyalists, and beneficiaries of the AbdulRazaq administration’s programmes. His image as a youthful, accessible, and grassroots-oriented politician resonates strongly across many communities.
Zakari, meanwhile, commands respect among older political actors, traditional stakeholders, and voters who value experience in governance. His communication skills, legislative pedigree, and administrative background appeal to those seeking a more seasoned hand at the helm.
While the APC’s organizational strength may give Danladi an early advantage, Zakari’s candidacy has the potential to galvanize opposition forces, especially if the ADC succeeds in consolidating anti-APC sentiment across the state.
Meanwhile, the PDP’s Engr. Kale Kawu Agaka introduces yet another variable into the equation. His reputation as a philanthropist and accomplished technocrat could attract voters seeking a non-traditional political alternative.
Ultimately, the 2027 governorship election may be remembered not merely as a contest between Yakubu Danladi Salihu, Zakari Mohammed, and Kale Kawu Agaka, but as a defining chapter in the political evolution of Kwara State.
Danladi represents continuity, youthful energy, and the strength of the ruling establishment. Zakari embodies experience, opposition momentum, and the promise of alternative governance. Agaka offers a technocratic option rooted in philanthropy and public service.
Their differences are significant, but so are their similarities. Each has served the public in various capacities. Each has built a political constituency. Each seeks to write a new chapter in Kwara’s history.
Yet only one will ultimately occupy the Ahmadu Bello Government House.
As Kwarans prepare for what promises to be one of the most consequential elections in the state’s history, the central question remains whether the long-awaited dream of a Kwara North governor will finally become reality — and which of the district’s leading sons will ultimately carry that historic mandate.
