Kwara 2027: Experience, Equity and the Zakari Mohammed Bid
By MUKHTAR Ya’u Madobi
As the countdown to the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State gathers momentum, political attention is increasingly shifting towards a question that has remained unresolved for decades: when will Kwara North have its opportunity to produce a governor?
Since the creation of Kwara State in 1967, the state’s three senatorial districts have not enjoyed equal access to the highest political office. In the current democratic era, Kwara Central and Kwara South have produced governors, while Kwara North has remained outside the Government House equation.
The 2027 election could therefore mark an important turning point. Among the prominent contenders emerging from Kwara North are the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Zakari Mohammed, and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
For many Kwarans, however, the election should transcend geographical rotation and party politics. It should provide an opportunity to examine the competing candidates on the basis of equity, competence, experience, integrity, capacity and a demonstrable record of public service.
It is within this context that Zakari Mohammed’s candidacy deserves serious consideration.
A Case for Equity and Competence
Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Kwara Central has enjoyed more than two decades of governorship representation, while Kwara South has also produced a governor. Kwara North, by contrast, has not produced a governor during the Fourth Republic.
Historically, the district’s only substantive experience of governorship came under Alhaji Sha’aba Lafiagi, who became governor in January 1992 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). His administration was terminated following the military takeover of November 1993.
The argument for Kwara North is therefore not simply about geographical entitlement. The district has consistently contributed votes, political mobilisation, human capital and other resources to successive administrations. Its aspiration for political inclusion deserves serious consideration in 2027.
But zoning alone cannot determine who should govern a state. Any candidate seeking the mandate of all Kwarans must demonstrate the competence to translate political opportunity into effective governance.
This is where Zakari Mohammed presents a compelling case.
A Broad Record of Public Service
At 56, Zakari Mohammed represents a generation of politicians whose careers have developed across several spheres of public service.
A native of Baruten Local Government Area, he began his professional career in journalism and broadcasting with the Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation, where he worked as a reporter and producer before moving fully into politics.
He subsequently served as a commissioner in Kwara State, including responsibility for Energy and Sports. Those positions exposed him to executive decision-making and the practical challenges of public administration.
At the federal level, he spent eight years in the House of Representatives representing Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency from 2011 to 2019. He also served as a spokesman of the House and chaired important committees, including Media and Public Affairs and Basic Education Services, while participating in other significant parliamentary assignments.
That combination of media, executive and legislative experience gives Zakari a political profile broader than that of many aspirants whose experience has been concentrated at only one level of government.
From Representation to Development
The strongest argument for any politician seeking a higher office should ultimately be what he or she has achieved with previous opportunities.
Zakari’s supporters point to several constituency interventions associated with his years in the National Assembly. These include the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools across Baruten and Kaiama, scholarship and bursary programmes, water projects, electricity infrastructure, employment facilitation and youth empowerment.
More than 50 boreholes have been cited among his interventions, alongside the provision of transformers and replacement of electricity cables in various communities.
Read Also:
His supporters also highlight the facilitation of the Federal Government Girls Unity School in Okuta, employment opportunities for more than 110 constituents and various empowerment initiatives involving motorcycles, tricycles, vehicles, grinding machines and other livelihood-support packages.
He also facilitated a Graduate Coaching Scheme for constituents through the National Directorate of Employment in Kwara State.
Such interventions should not merely be presented as campaign statistics. They should be independently assessed, documented and compared with the records of other candidates. Nevertheless, they provide an important basis for assessing Zakari’s understanding of constituency representation and grassroots development.
Education, Security and Strategic Exposure
Zakari’s profile extends beyond electoral politics. His academic background includes studies in Sociology and Anthropology, Journalism, Civil Law and Criminology. He subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in Criminology and participated in the Emerging Leaders Programme at Harvard Kennedy School.
He is also pursuing doctoral studies in Defence and Security Studies at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
That exposure is potentially relevant to the contemporary demands of governance. The security challenges confronting Nigerian states require more than conventional policing. They demand intelligence-led prevention, community engagement, youth empowerment, economic opportunity, conflict management and effective strategic communication.
A governor who understands these interconnected dimensions would be better positioned to develop a comprehensive security and development agenda.
National Networks and Political Leverage
Zakari’s eight years in the National Assembly also provided extensive exposure to Nigeria’s federal political and institutional architecture.
His longstanding political relationships, including his association with former Senate President Bukola Saraki and other political actors, have contributed to his visibility and network across Kwara.
However, political connections should ultimately be judged by their capacity to deliver tangible benefits to citizens. The real value of national networks lies in their ability to attract federal projects, investment, development partnerships and institutional support for the state.
The Choice Before Kwarans
Zakari Mohammed’s emergence under the ADC banner has added another dimension to the 2027 contest and strengthened the opposition’s challenge to the APC.
Yet the electorate should look beyond party colours, campaign rhetoric and social-media popularity. The central questions should be: Who has the experience to govern? Who understands Kwara’s challenges? Who can attract investment and federal support? Who can address insecurity, unemployment and infrastructure deficits? And who has demonstrated the capacity to unite the state?
On these parameters, Zakari presents a strong proposition.
His candidacy combines the historical demand for greater representation of Kwara North with substantial experience in journalism, executive administration and federal legislation. He has operated at both state and national levels and possesses exposure to governance, communication, security and public policy.
The 2027 election should therefore not be reduced to Kwara North versus Kwara Central or Kwara South. It should be about whether historical inclusion can be matched with competence.
For Kwara North, the election represents an opportunity to move from being a major electoral constituency to occupying a central position in the state’s political leadership. For the wider electorate, it presents an opportunity to assess whether the next governor should be someone with extensive exposure to both state and federal governance.
Ultimately, the mandate belongs to the people. Kwarans must scrutinise every candidate, verify claims, compare records and judge political promises against realistic expectations.
But if the 2027 election is to be a choice about experience, inclusion, competence and preparedness, Zakari Mohammed has a substantial case to make.
The question is no longer merely whether Kwara North deserves its turn. The more important question is whether the state is ready to entrust its next chapter to a candidate who combines that historical claim with years of experience in public communication, executive administration and national legislation.
For the ADC and its supporters, Zakari Mohammed represents that opportunity. The final verdict, however, belongs to the electorate.
