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2026 Budget: KWSG holds last lap of its citizens’ engagement
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State Government has held the last lap of its citizens’ engagement for the 2026 budget in Ilemona, Oyun Local Government, offering a platform for the people of Kwara South to present their needs in the next fiscal year.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was represented at the event by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Princess Olubukola Babalola.
Attendees included lawmakers from Kwara South, top government officials; local council chairmen; traditional rulers from Kwara South, led by the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, Chairman, KWIRS, Folashade Omoniyi; religious and party leaders; women support groups; marketers; and student leaders.
AbdulRazaq told the gathering that the engagement was to ensure a budget that better serves true communal needs.
The budget, according to the Governor, is one of the most important and valuable policy tools of the administration as it translates developmental agenda into actionable programmes and projects, he said.
“You would recall that this year’s town hall meeting commenced on Tuesday, the 26th August 2024 at Bode Saadu for the people of Kwara North. On the 2nd of September, 2025, it was the turn of the Kwara Central. Today, we are immensely pleased to wrap up the engagement with our people in the Kwara South,” the Governor said.
“For a budget to be effective, it must reflect the true needs and aspirations of the people. That is why your participation here today is crucial.
“Our government firmly believes that planning for the people without the people is planning to fail. This engagement ensures that every voice, whether from our farmers, traders, artisans, youths, or traditional institutions, is heard and considered in shaping our fiscal priorities.”
AbdulRazaq said the government has made significant progress over the past in nfrastructural development, health care, job creation, agriculture, and education, among others.
He said these achievements were possible because of the ideas and feedback the government received from citizens during the previous citizens’ engagements.
“Let us continue to strengthen this partnership between the government and the people so that our state can truly become a model of inclusive and sustainable development,” he added.
Deputy Speaker, Hon Oyebode, commended the commitment of Governor AbdulRazaq to road infrastructure, particularly in the southern part which he said has improved the economy and living condition of the residents.
He cited the ongoing construction of the Afon-Ojoku-Offa-Odo Otin and many others as examples of such efforts.
The lawmaker, meanwhile, sought the construction of the road linking Ipee, Bayagan, Egudu, Oyate, and Agbamu in Irepodun local government, saying this route will ease transportation of agric produce in that axis.
Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, Dr Marry Arinde, said the citizens’ engagement means moving beyond numbers on the spreadsheets to truly understanding what matters most to the people.
“It is a fact that since Governor AbdulRazaq assumed office in 2019, we have been witnessing non-stop developmental projects in the state, particularly in the southern part,” she said.
Commissioner for Works, Engr. Abdulquawiy Olododo, said the administration has constructed more kilometres of road in Kwara South than in Ilorin, dismissing the claims of concentration on Ilorin as incorrect.
He listed some of the roads to include the 24.6km from Ajase-Ipo to Bayero — linking Irepodun and Ifelodun –, 21km-Arandun-Esie-Oro road; another 24km Bayero to Oke Ode which is already presented for tender process; Omu Aran- Oko-Oro-Ago; Ibrahim Taiwo Road (Offa); the Orisa bridge; 8-km Ijara-Isin-Sabaja-Owa Onire; 13km Owode Ofaro-Alabe road; Agbamu-Ila Orangun.
He also announced that the government will soon award the contracts for the Omu Aran township road; Olofa Way (Offa); Palace Road (Ijagbo); 15.1km Ilemona to Ojoku road; and 7km Alabe to Oreke road; among others.
He charged all relevant stakeholders in the senatorial district, including council chairmen, to take ownership of all public facilities such as roads in their domains.
Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Segun Ogunsola, said the Governor has facilitated at least 1600 housing units through the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, adding that 600 of them will benefit Kwara Southerners.
“Offa stadium has been abandoned for many years. This government has redesigned and approved that we should commence the construction work at the facility in the next two weeks. This is to encourage sporting activities among our youth,” he said.
The government has similarly awarded the contract for the Lafiagi stadium, according to official information.
Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bosede Olaitan Buraimoh, said the Governor is driving the welfare of citizens with a unique passion, specifically pointing out the women and youth-focused empowerment initiatives of the administration.
Chairman of Oyun local government, Hon. Akanbi Kamar Olarewaju, said the engagement offers the people a unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the budget process.
Akanbi, while commending the open door policy and exemplary leadership of Governor AbdulRazaq, said Oyun local council has also emulated him by recently conveying a stakeholders’ meeting, where the needs of every ward were discussed.
Chairman for Ifelodun, Hon. Femi Yusuf, thanked AbdulRazaq for his swift response to the recent security breaches in Ile-ire district and parts of Oke-Ode, saying this has restored calm and strengthened the confidence of the communities.
He said under his watch as council chairman, more than 80 localities in Ifelodun have benefitted either from solar-powered boreholes, construction and renovation of classrooms, installation of solar streetlights, or refurbishment of abandoned tractors.
He urged the government to look into the construction of Idofian-Igbaja road, Elerinjare-Ojoku road, Igbaja-Adanla-Ofarese ring road, and Agunjin-Agbeku road.
Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Alebiosu, said the Governor has been good to the people of Kwara South, given his people-focused programmes and projects.
He restated the support of the people of the region for the administration.
“On behalf of the traditional rulers in the Kwara South Senatorial District, I have been mandated to say loud and clear that this institution is hundred and one percent in support of this government,” he said, praying for continued God’s guidance for the Governor.
End
News
Senator Bwacha Submits PDP Gubernatorial Nomination Form, Declares Intent to Lead Taraba
SENATOR Emmanuel Bwacha, representing Taraba South Senatorial District, has formally submitted his nomination and expression of interest forms to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), officially declaring his intention to contest the governorship of Taraba State. The submission marks a landmark moment in the state’s political calendar, greeted with enthusiasm by supporters who thronged the PDP secretariat to witness the historic occasion.
In what many have described as an unprecedented show of grassroots energy, the Bwacha Youth Movement had earlier stormed the PDP secretariat to purchase the gubernatorial forms on the Senator’s behalf — setting the tone for what is shaping up to be one of the most energised political campaigns in Taraba’s recent history. Rather than leaving the purchase to a formal campaign structure or political benefactors, it was the youth who stepped forward, sending an unambiguous message that this candidacy belongs to the people. Their bold gesture has since ignited excitement across the state, drawing attention to a movement powered not from the top down, but from the ground up.
A seasoned lawmaker whose political journey spans the Taraba State House of Assembly, one term in the Federal House of Representatives, and an impressive three terms in the Nigerian Senate — where he also served as Deputy Minority Leader — Senator Bwacha stands today as one of the most experienced and battle-tested legislators ever produced by Taraba State. His formal entry into the governorship race is seen by many analysts as the natural progression of a career built entirely on service, sacrifice, and a deep commitment to his people.
“We are not here for politics of sentiment. We are here because we have seen what Senator Bwacha has done for our communities, our families, and our future. Today, we are investing in that future,” declared a spokesperson for the Bwacha Youth Movement, to thunderous applause from supporters gathered at the secretariat.
Senator Bwacha’s emergence as a gubernatorial aspirant comes at a time when Taraba State is at a crossroads, grappling with development deficits, security challenges, and a deep yearning among citizens for purposeful, accountable leadership. His backers argue that his extensive legislative record provides precisely the blueprint the state needs at the executive level.
Among his most celebrated interventions is the rehabilitation of the Donga–Mararraba road — a critical artery that had long been a source of daily misery for farmers, traders, and commuters across the senatorial district. The completion of that road is credited with reviving commercial activity along the corridor and significantly reducing post-harvest losses for rural farming communities.
Rural electrification stands as another enduring pillar of his senatorial legacy. Communities including Nyivo, Kumbu, Nyitan, and Mararraba — long neglected in the state’s power distribution grid — received electricity through the installation of over 20 transformers. Alongside this, Senator Bwacha oversaw the construction of 53 solar-powered boreholes, bringing clean, reliable water to communities that had for decades depended on unsafe sources.
In education, he equipped science laboratories at the Federal University Wukari, donated a utility bus to the institution, and established ICT centres to bridge the digital divide. His scholarship scheme has supported over 260 indigent students, ensuring that financial hardship does not become a barrier to academic excellence.
Youth empowerment has been equally central to his tenure. Through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), he secured over 500 federal job placements and trained more than 750 young people through vocational programmes — directly addressing unemployment among a demographic that now champions his gubernatorial bid.
On healthcare, Senator Bwacha established a well-equipped primary healthcare centre in Mararraba, with dedicated maternal and child health services. Security interventions include the creation of new police divisions in Donga and Mararraba, the donation of operational patrol vehicles to law enforcement, and the installation of solar streetlights in Takum and Wukari — measures residents credit with improving safety and reducing nighttime criminality.
Political observers in Jalingo note that the combination of a robust legislative record spanning multiple chambers and an organic, youth-powered movement is a formidable political equation. The Bwacha Youth Movement’s decision to purchase the nomination forms represents a rare dynamic in Nigerian politics — a candidate propelled not by godfathers, but by the very people he has served.
As the PDP advances its internal processes ahead of the governorship election, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha now stands formally in the race — not merely as a candidate, but in the eyes of his supporters, as a covenant with the people of Taraba State.
For the youth who purchased his forms and the thousands who gathered to witness his submission, Wednesday’s events were more than a political formality. They were, in the words of one young supporter, “a down payment on the future we deserve.”
News
Hon. Hamma Adama Ali Kumo Applauds APC Consensus, Declares Full Support for Dr. Jamilu Gwamna and Governor Yahaya’s Senatorial Bid
Hon. Hamma Adama Ali Kumo, National Deputy Financial Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has congratulated Dr. Jamilu-Isiyaku Gwamna on his emergence as the party’s consensus governorship candidate for Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Hon. Kumo described Dr. Gwamna as “a visionary leader, accomplished technocrat, and grassroots mobilizer whose credibility and capacity will strengthen the APC’s position in Gombe.” He noted that the consensus arrangement reflects the party’s commitment to unity and inclusiveness, adding that it is a step toward consolidating APC’s achievements in the state.
Hon. Kumo called on all aspirants who contested for the governorship ticket to rally behind Dr. Gwamna, stressing that collective effort is essential for the APC to secure victory. “Every aspirant remains a vital pillar of our party. By joining hands with Dr. Gwamna, we can ensure APC’s continued dominance and deliver progress for the people of Gombe,” he said.
He further commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his exemplary leadership, which has brought peace, infrastructural development, and political stability to Gombe State. Hon. Kumo emphasized that the governor’s guidance was instrumental in the smooth adoption of consensus candidates, describing him as “a leader whose vision has transformed Gombe and whose legacy will endure.”
Hon. Kumo also reaffirmed his support for Governor Yahaya’s senatorial aspiration, expressing confidence that his wealth of experience will bring quality representation to the National Assembly. He noted that Yahaya’s senatorial bid complements Dr. Gwamna’s governorship candidacy, creating a formidable team to advance APC’s mission in Gombe.
Concluding his remarks, Hon. Kumo urged party members, stakeholders, and the electorate to remain steadfast in their support for APC candidates, assuring that with unity and determination, the party will deliver victory and sustain progress in Gombe State.
News
Nassarawa 2027: Crisis Rocks APC as Lawyer petitions governor Sule anointed Aspirants over dual membership of SDP/APC.
A legal practitioner in Nasarawa State and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr Tari Trochon has submitted a Formal petition to the National Secretariat of the party demanding proper investigation into the alleged dual membership of Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada.
Senator Wadada has won elections into the Senate in 2023 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and has emerged the preferred choice of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa State for the APC Governorship primaries scheduled for May 21st 2026.
According to the petition signed by Barr Trochon from Nakere ward of Wamba LGA, “we demand immediate investigation into Wadada membership and compel him to produce verifiable evidence of resignation from the SDP which should be verified from the national leadership of the SDP and not forged documents.
“His disqualification from the participation in the primaries if he fails to establish lawful and exclusive membership of the APC among other legal violations of the Constitutional provisions by Wadada participating in the process while holding dual membership of SDP and APC”
The legal Practitioner warned that allowing Wadada participate in the forth coming gubernatorial primaries would amount to institutional endorsement of illegality that will set the grounds for pre-election legal challenges that might lead to disqualification.
” The enormous credibility issues bothering on how his failure to inform the Senate of his alleged defection, nine months after, provides a fertile ground for litigations that may be costly to the APC in Nasarawa State if he is not stopped.
“We are aware that the SDP is set to take Senator Wadada to court over his defection to APC while still maintaining his membership with SDP simultaneously” he said.
The Petitioner added that in view of time constraint, he will be left with no other option than to proceed to court in order to save the APC in Nasarawa State from imminent problems that may cost us electoral misfortunes.
“There is prima facie infraction of section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, Conventions of the Senate and clear expressions of lack of credibility and character which must be looked into.
“He shouldn’t go into our Direct Primaries, and we’ll ensure the Courts stop him from further participation” he said.
He maintained that the Petition has since been submitted to the APC national Secretariat, signed received and acknowledged.
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