The re election of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state has opened up a new chapter in the history of politics in the region.

Following his initial victory through the “O to ge” political movement, which ended the Saraki dynasty’s four-decade reign in the state, the Governor implemented a new political system that led to disagreements within his own political party. Notably, the Governor showed a strong interest in promoting women and youth leadership in politics. His efforts paid off when three women were elected to the State House of Assembly in the recent elections, a significant improvement from the current legislature’s lack of female representation.

During his tenure, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq created his own development plan and established a social investment scheme to provide monthly aid to the elderly and impoverished. He also supported the artisans and transporters, transformed the education and health sectors, and improved existing infrastructure. However, his leadership style caused friction within his own political party, and many who had supported him during the “O to ge” movement left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for other parties. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alh Lai Mohammed’s faction joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Waziri Yakubu Gobir’s group joined the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Professor Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem’s supporters settled in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). These groups plotted to take over governance from Governor AbdulRazaq, making the political climate challenging in the state. However, the Governor’s comfortable lead in the presidential and National Assembly elections foiled the opposition parties’ plans to unseat him. Governor AbdulRazaq then reached out to members of other political parties to collapse their structures for him to emerge victorious in the gubernatorial poll, and his efforts paid off as YPP Guber Candidate, Waziri Yakubu Gobir and other defectors joined the APC. The YPP governorship candidate cited the Governor’s focus on issue-based campaigns that brought hope and promises for a better future to the state, especially for young people.

His overall leadership style in office attracted not a few enemies for him such that many of those who were with him during the “O to ge” political movement left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)for other political parties.

The faction of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh Lai Mohammed left for Social Democratic Party (SDP), that of Waziri Yakubu Gobir found solace in Young Progressives Party (YPP), while that of Professor Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem eventually settled in New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Each of these political tendencies with their candidates in all the elective posts, plotted to take over the governance from Gov AbdulRazaq. The political battle in the state was therefore very tough in the last four years.

However, the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections which clearly placed Governor AbdulRazaq on a comfortable lead for his re-election thwarted the plans of the PDP and other opposition parties to unseat the governor.

Governor AbdulRazaq then decided to consolidate, instead of folding his hands like others would expect and reached out to members of other political parties such as PDP, NNPP, YPP and even SDP, particularly those who contested and lost in the national assembly election, to collapse their political structures for him to enable him emerge victorious in the gubernatorial poll.