• Get backings of three APC Senatorial Leaders Caucus

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Sadiq Suleiman Umar, has declared his intention to contest for the exalted office of governor of Kwara State in the forthcoming 2027 general elections under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Senator made his intention known on Tuesday in Ilorin, the state capital, amid applause from a large crowd of APC faithful and stalwarts from across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State.

in his declaration speech, Senator Umar said his decision to throw his hat into the ring of the Kwara State’s governorship race was not born out of personal ambition, but born out of responsibility and belief that leadership must always answer the call of history.

He added: “And when a people desire progress that is deeper, broader, and more enduring, those who are prepared must step forward.

“Kwara has come a long way. Under the visionary and purposeful leadership of His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazag, CON. Our State has witnessed a new direction. We have seen the restoration of public confidence
in governance. We have seen meaningful reforms, renewed infrastructure, better institutional discipline, and a government that has worked to place the
people back at the center of governance.

“For these gains, I commend His Excellency, the administration, our party leaders, and every patriotic Kwaran who has contributed to this journey.

“But my dear people, history teaches us that progress must never pause.
Foundations are not built to be admired alone; they are built to carry greater structures. The task before us now is to protect what has been achieved, expand what has begun, and boldly move Kwara into a future of shared prosperity. That is why our vision is clear, and our mission is urgent: Sustainable Progress for Kwara’s Shared Prosperity is not just a slogan. It is a covenant. A covenant with the farmer in the village, with the trader in the market.
with the teacher in the classroom, with the nurse in the clinic, with the artisan, the entrepreneur, the athlete, the creative young mind, the civil servant, the traditional institution, and every family that wants dignity, opportunity, and peace.”

The second term Senator, who said he has worked as a development expert for over two decades, designing and implementing practical solutions that improved lives across communities, said that experience has deepened his
understanding of the dreams of the people of the State and the demands of leadership.

He added: “It has shown me that good intentions are not enough. What matters is the courage
to act, the wisdom to listen, and the discipline to deliver results. The next chapter of Kwara must be one where development is not occasional, but consistent; not selective, but inclusive; not loud in promise, but visible in impact. We must build a Kwara where power reaches homes, businesses, schools, health centers, and communities more reliably.”

If he becomes governor in 2027, he promised to pursue a practical
energy agenda with strong emphasis on solar power expansion for public institutions, rural communities, productive clusters, and underserved areas, saying “we
must become a state where clean and sustainable energy helps our children learn better, our hospitals function better, our businesses grow faster, and our communities live with greater dignity”.

On insecurity, the Senator promised to strengthen community-based
security collaboration, support intelligence gathering, deploy technology where necessary, and work closely with all relevant institutions so that every parent
can sleep with peace, every trader can move with confidence, and every community can feel protected.

On education, the gubernatorial hopeful declared: “We will continue to improve learning environments, strengthen teacher support, deepen digital education, expand technical and ocational opportunities, and ensure that education prepares our young people not just to pass examinations, but to lead in the
modern world.

“We must also strengthen healthcare by providing health insurance, because no
society can prosper when its people are weak. Our goal is simple: healthier families, better-equipped facilities, more responsive primary care, stronger maternal and child health systems, and a healthcare structure that reaches both
urban and rural communities with compassion and efficiency.

“We will accelerate infrastructure development because roads, bridges, public facilities, and connectivity are not luxuries; they are the pathways of prosperity.
But beyond physical structures, we will build economic infrastructure the kind that supports enterprise, opens markets, reduces waste, and attracts investment.

Other areas the Senator touched include agriculture, sports, tourism and urban development, adding that his administration would support innovation, digital enterprise, tech-driven governance, and youth-centered opportunities that connect Kwara to the emerging global economy.

He said: “Our young people are not short of talent; they simply
need platforms, tools, and belief.
We will strengthen transportation and logistics so that movement across our state becomes more efficient, safer, and more economically productive. When
people, goods, and services move well, opportunity moves with them.

“We will also support the creative industries – film, music, fashion, media, design, storytelling, and the wider cutural economy. The creativity of our youth is not a side conversation; it is a major frontier of jobs, identity, and influence.”

In their goodwill messages, the trio of the Kwara South, Kwara Central and Kwara North Senatorial Leaders Caucus, Chief JB Ayeni, Hon. Ismail Agboola and Senator Mohammed Ahmed respectively, gave backings to the governorship ambition of the Senator, saying he is suitably qualified for the position going by his numerable achievements as Senator in the past seven years, more so that Kwara North has been marginalized for a long time.