Abdulrasak reverts to sponsored protests as hope of his Third Term through the Kwara North Agenda fades 

If Abdulrahman Alade Abdulrasak, the Governor of Kwara State, had heeded to the warning of this reporter on December 23, 2025, that his Third Term Agenda, which he is masquerading as Kwara North Agenda, will end in disgrace like Kurumi’s tortoise journey, he won’t be flogging a dead horse today by sponsoring protests across Kwara – all in a bid to deceive the world that Kwarans are behind the aspiration of his anointed lackey Danladi Yakubu, Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, as the next governor of the state Olukayode Thomas reports.

Introduction

The Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrasak, has resorted to sponsoring protests to wriggle himself out of self-inflicted travails.

After frittering away the gains of O to ge, coupled with his non-performance as governor, and making enemies that will last a lifetime, Abdulrasak felt he had a solid plan B: a third – term in office through a puppet.

And the man for the job is Danlandi Yakubu, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, whom he had planned to crown as the next Governor using the Kwara North Agenda as a smokescreen.

Then penultimate Thursday, the unanticipated happened. It was reported that President Bola Tinubu and the APC leaders have endorsed Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB) as the man who will fly the APC flag in the Kwara State gubernatorial election in 2027.

Since the news filtered in, Abdulrasak has lost sleep. 

Third Term Agenda not an afterthought

Just a few months into his government, Abdulrasak rolled out his political hegemony plan. To achieve this, he formed a band that sang sonorous songs to Kwarans about the beauty of power shifting to Kwara North, with Yakubu as the beneficiary. 

The Chief Chorister was Kunle Sulyman. 

But the cacophony of tunes from Sulyman and his Orchestral did not resonate with Kwarans. They saw it as an agenda to install a stooge for Abdulrasak’s third term. 

They argued that if the governor actually loves Kwara North, he should have anointed a strong-willed politician from Kwara North, such as Ibrahim Isa Bio, a former Minister of Transport and Sports, or another charismatic politician from the North.   

When Sulyman and his band’s songs were submerged by the nays, Abdulrasak turned to members of the State House of Assembly. The legislators’ songs were also greeted with rejection. Local Government Chairmen also failed to galvanise Kwarans behind Yakubu. 

Next, Abdulrasak turned to traditional rulers. According to Sahara Reporters, these were promised ₦100 million each, in two tranches, if they could convince Kwarans to support the installation of Yakubu. This also failed.

The moment the news of BOB’s endorsement became public, Abdulrasak went back to sponsoring paid adverts and press conferences by APC elders, Kwara elders, traditional rulers, Local Government chairmen, and others to protest the decision.

 But Kwarans are unimpressed with the pro-Yakubu campaign, ditto stakeholders in the Kwara APC.

Why Abdulrasak wants Danladi by any means

Are Abdulrasak and Yakubu Siamese twins? Why the insistence on him when APC stakeholders at local, state and national levels have rejected him?  

Many Kwarans allege that Abdulrasak wanted a yes man, like Yakubu, who would cover atrocious dealings.

Many alleged that the misgovernment includes, but is not limited to, what has been described as the biggest rape of Kwara since creation by Ayansola Mohammed, a former legislator, via a N35 billion bond.

 According to Mohammed, the bond was not included in the 2021 budget, and the repayment plan is outrageous. Ayansola had expressed surprise that funds had already been allocated to most of the projects in the bond in the 2021 budget.

 Only Yakubu will succeed Abdulrasak and not probe these projects: Tunde Idiagbon Flyover, the one at Unity Road, the beautification works done around Unity and GRA, all said to be awarded at an outrageous cost.

Others include the remodelling of 172 rooms Kwara Hotel. From an initial quote of N3.5 billion by Crystal Group, Abdulrasak eventually awarded the renovation to Craneburg for N17.8, with a report suggesting that it could eventually rise to N30 billion.   

Only Yakubu will not want to know why his godfather spent N724 million on foreign trips within three months, according to NBS.

Abdulrasak’s shabby and poorly done renovation and rehabilitation of supposedly dilapidated schools across the state, like Government High School Adeta, Pategi Secondary School, Offa Grammar School, and others, will interest a successor who prioritises accountability.

Only Yakubu will not want to work with Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, and Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, so that the duo can scrutinise what happened to local governments’ funds in the eight years of Abdulrasak.

Government of family by family for family

Bukola Saraki’s era has been described as a government of friends for friends and empowerment of friends in all the 16 local governments in Kwara State, with Kwarans from Central highly favoured.

Abdulfatah Ahmed was a lone ranger; doors were closed to families and friends, except a few highly favoured from Kwara Central.

Under Abdulrasak, governance in Kwara has been described as government of family, by family and for family.

The first major contract under him, the renovation of the government house, was said to have been given to a family member.

Other allegations centred around his family. For example, last year, PDP demanded a probe into the $800 million (this figure looks inconceivable) contract they alleged was secretly awarded to a company linked to the governor’s brother. 

They also allege that another family member, Abass Abdulrasak, was involved in a transformer scam. That he was paid N138 million (70% of the total contract sum) for the supply of transformers without following state procurement laws.

In 2021, there were also allegations of massive corruption and contract racketeering within the Kwara State Universal Education Board (KWASUBEB).

 The above are just an introduction to Abdulrasak’s misrule of Kwara; a detailed report on misrule in Kwara will reveal why he wants a third term, and why Yakubu is his preferred candidate.   

From O to ge to Otuka

While allegations of misgovernment may require evidence and paperwork to prove, Abdulrasak’s best friends and spin doctors will not deny his poor human relations skills.

Many won’t be surprised that he frittered away all the gains of O to ge within six months and that in less than seven years he has made enemies that will last a lifetime.

Let’s lay bare the facts.

Aisha Ahman-Pategi was a close confidant and Abdulrasak’s associate during the winter, but as soon as summer came, Ahman-Pategi became dispensable. 

And Olasunbo Oyeyemi, one of Ahman-Pategi’s junior friends, a chemistry graduate, an administrative manager and public relations officer at a private school, Roemichs International School, Ilorin, became his buddy.

Oyeyemi was later appointed Commissioner of Finance, and Ahman-Pategi to the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. 

A few months into Abdulrasak’s government, Ahman-Pategi claimed that the state’s Ministry of Finance under Oyeyemi diverted N300 million in Local Government funds, which was the beginning of the end of her friendship with Abdulrasak. She later resigned.

When the story of O to ge is being written, a section will be devoted to the contribution of BOB, who, as APC chairman, led the revolution.

After the success of the revolution, Abdulrasak found BOB surplus to requirements. He schemed to push him out of the party, and he succeeded.

There were allegations that when BOB was embarrassed and beaten by Good Boys, who tore his clothes at Banquet Hall opposite Government House, the Kwara government was behind the attack.

Others who played prominent roles in the O to ge revolution but were dumped by Abdulrasak include Shuaib Oba-Abu, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, Lai Muhammed, Gbemi Saraki, Lukman Mustapha, and other stalwarts who supported his rise to power.

 Even Adams Oshiomhole, then APC National Chairman and President Bola Tinubu, then APC National Leader, were red-carded.

When Moshood Mustapha and Abdulrasak fell apart, he probably never thought it would degenerate to the level that his Crystal Place shopping complex would be demolished; unfortunately, it happened.

On several occasions, the government of Abdulrasak has ordered the pulling down of Soliu Mustapha billboards, stopped many of his community development projects, like the Health Centre and Emirate Pavilion.

Bukola is a mere mortal in Kwara, but his father, Olusola Saraki, was not just a colossus in Ilorin but a demi-god in Kwara. 

But for Abdulrasak, nothing is sacred, so the treatment he gave Mustapha’s Crystal Mall had earlier been given to Baba Saraki’s Ile Arugbo.

APC Chieftain, Ibrahim Moro, not only regrets supporting Abdulrazak, but he said in an interview on August 18, 2025, that “No household in Kwara State wakes up in a day without raising curses on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasak.” 

Moro’s claim is harsh and scary, but history will vindicate the just and convict the unjust.

Abdulrasak’s phantom love for Kwara North

Apart from desiring a third term with Yakubu, Abdulrasak, since he assumed office in 2019, shows that there is no love lost between him and the people of Kwara North.

For example, early in his government, Abdulrasak denied the region’s son, Mahmud Saka, the chance to be Vice Chancellor of Kwasu despite coming first in the interview and already occupying the position in acting capacity. 

Three candidates were shortlisted: Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi, Mahmud Saka and Yisa Muhammed Gana.

Saka came first, followed by Gana, while Akanbi came third. He picked Akanbi from Central, who came third, to be VC.

Since Abdulrasak assumed office, roads, education, healthcare, agriculture, housing, environment, and others have remained in a terrible state. One can hardly see a positive signature of Abdulrasak in Kwara North and Kwara South.

 Yusuf Ahmed, a Nupe man based in Ilorin, said, “I don’t believe the Governor and those championing power shift to Kwara North love us; they just want to use our son as a place-holder for eight years.

“Because if they love us, they will be concerned with the issue of insecurity that has destroyed our land. They want to give us power, but they are unconcerned about the insecurity that is depleting our population daily. 

“I am stuck in Ilorin now. I can’t travel home to see my family because of insecurity. Secondly, there are insinuations that the Governor is backing the Speaker to be the choice of Kwara North. We don’t want him; he will be another Shaaba Lafiagi or Abdulfatai Ahmed, that is, a governor in office but not in power.

“If the Governor really desire a genuine power shift to the North, he should allow our elders to present a consensus candidate. We have men like former Minister of Transport and Sport Ibrahim Isah Bio and others, who are politicians worth their weight in gold. We don’t want a Greek Gift’’.

Like Kurumi, like Abdulrasak

Like Kurumi’s tortoise journey, Abdulrasak, Kwara Governor’s ‘third term’ agenda is heading for disgrace.

Any attempt to force Yakubu on Kwarans as the APC gubernatorial candidate or give the Kwara Central senatorial ticket to Abdulrasak will end in electoral doom for the APC. 

Abdulrasak tortoise journey confirms what the Good Book said in Galatians 6:7: ‘Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap’. 

Our governor has sown the wind, so this reporter is not surprised that he is harvesting the whirlwind. (Hosea:8.7)

Olukayode Thomas, a native of Offa, is a Lagos-based reporter.