Date: 2018-09-29

Ahead of the primaries of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, a Pressure Group, the coalition of Kwara North Group on Friday staged a peaceful rally across the commercial areas of Ilorin metropolis demanding for a power shift to Kwara North senatorial district during the 2019 governorship election.

The group which spread across all the local government areas of the region namely, Moro, Baruteen, Edu, Patigi, and Kaiama were joined in the rally by their Kwara South counterpart in solidarity for their demands, asking all the political parties participating in the 2019 governorship election in the state to pick their candidates from the region

The rally tagged "GaskiyaRally" started from the Kwara State Stadium to Surulere-Baboko-Agaka to Emir of Ilorin Palace, then to Post Office and terminated at the Government House, Ilorin.

About one hundred graduates who are Okada riders from Kwara North also joined the rally demanding for justice and fairness for their region

Addressing journalists, the Coordinator of the Group, Comrade Jerry Kolo, said in the context of the state, the three senatorial districts had the moral right to occupy the coveted seat, pointing out that the Central had enjoyed the position for twelve years, while the South are currently occupying the position for a period of eight years, hence the need to zone the governorship ticket to the North to produce the next governor next year.

According to him " as a mere function of justice, equity and fairness, we are asking that the North should produce the next governor. It is morally right to zone the governorship ticket to Kwara North. So what we're saying is that any political party irrespective of any platform participating in the 2019 governorship election in Kwara state should pick its candidates from the Kwara North "

" We will be matching to the Palace of the Emir of Ilorin, where we will make our demands known to the Emir and move to the government house to meet the Governor. All we're clamouring for is that the power should be shifted to Kwara North", he said Comrade Kolo, said it is the turn of Kwara North to produce the next governor, saying that the region is blessed with sons and daughters that are blessed and morally sound to be the Governor, even the President.

On the primaries of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party scheduled for Sunday, the Coordinator of the Group, said he believed that the two parties would pick their candidates from the region.

It would be recalled that the Pressure Group had earlier warned that the people of the Kwara North Senatorial district would boycott 2019 gubernatorial election in the state if the coveted seat is not shifted to the North.

The group said it had the backing of all the traditional rulers from the five local government areas that made up the senatorial district, elders, women and different segments of youths of the area, saying that it is time for all registered political parties to adopt aspirants from the area as their flag bearers.

It also cautioned that if political parties refused to pick non-kwara North aspirants as their flag bearer, the people of the area would block access to political campaign in the axis.