The Senator representing Kwara South, Lola Ashiru, has ruled out zoning of the state’s governorship ahead of the 2027 general elections.

There has been agitation for a powershift to other zones of the state, most especially the Kwara North.

But Ashiru, who is the Deputy Senate leader, declared that the Kwara 2027 governorship, like previous elections, would not be based on zoning because “governorship is never zoned in Kwara State.”

The APC chieftain insisted that the incumbent, Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq, had emerged twice because he contested and won the governorship based on merit, competence and acceptance.

Ashiru, who spoke during an interactive session with journalists, said Kwara voters crave governorship aspirants who are well-prepared and equipped to serve them.

He said: “Anybody who wants to become the governor must be prepared to work hard, campaign hard, and convince the people to vote for him. While I sympathised with the North for a long time, aside from the Shaaba Lafiagi period – Lafiagi was not even given the governorship of Kwara State on zoning, he fought for it, he worked hard for it, he campaigned for it, he bargained for it.

“Positions are never zoned. There is no where we have zoned the position of governorship. Even the last election that was won by Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, it was not zoned to Ilorin. It was contested by almost all politicians that are ready to contest.

“I don’t know the number of candidates that we have from Ilorin, I don’t know the candidate we have from the North. They all contested, but because the people saw Abdulrasaq as the person that can deliver dividends of democracy, they all agreed and voted for him. So also his first term, it was not a zoned ticket. It was contested and he was more preferred to others.”

Ashiru also sighted the example of Mohammed Lawal, saying that his governorship was contested too. “We are not a regime of zoning because we want the best in everything. We want people who are prepared, well prepared and equipped to serve the people.

“Hopefully, candidates will have to come and convince us. They have to bargain with us, they have to come to the table and tell us what they want to offer to the people of Kwara State. And in particular, you have to come to Offa and tell me what you want to offer to the people of Kwara South,” he added.

The lawmaker boasted that the ruling APC will still produce the next governor of Kwara State.

“The demand for governorship has increased tremendously and it has become more competitive than before. I have the feeling that a good candidate will come up and Kwara State will eventually vote for a very good candidate in our party, the APC, because it is still going to be the APC government. I wish every candidate well,” Ashiru said.