2027: Danladi vows to build on AbdulRazaq’s achievements
By Demola Akinyemi
ILORIN – The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Rt. Hon. Salihu-Yakubu Danladi, has said his seven years of experience in the legislature and familiarity with the state’s development challenges have prepared him to govern the state.
Danladi, who is also the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, pledged to consolidate the achievements of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and take the state to greater heights if elected in the 2027 governorship election.
He said Kwara needed continuity and further development rather than a return to what he described as its ugly past.
The APC candidate spoke during the News Keg, an interactive programme organised by the Kwara State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), where he discussed his political journey, legislative experience, achievements and development agenda ahead of the 2027 election.
Danladi maintained that he was not a political novice, having served as Speaker since 2019 and participated in legislative processes supporting the present administration’s programmes.
“I am not new to what is happening in Kwara State today. I have spent seven years in the legislature. No other candidate had any experience in government. I know virtually every sector and the challenges confronting the state,” he said.
He argued that his legislative experience had given him a broad understanding of governance, particularly through the House of Assembly’s appropriation and oversight responsibilities, which he said complemented the executive’s implementation of policies and projects.
The governorship candidate, an electrical engineering graduate, also highlighted his academic pursuits, disclosing that he had undertaken programmes in revenue management, peace, conflict and security studies and was currently pursuing a PhD in economic development.
Reflecting on his representation of Ilesha/Gwanara Constituency, Danladi identified access to potable water, rural roads, healthcare, education and security as some of the major challenges that informed his legislative interventions.
He said he facilitated the provision of about 210 boreholes across communities in his constituency during his first term, alongside the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads.
One of the projects he highlighted was a 33-kilometre road linking communities in the constituency, which he said had significantly improved movement in the area.
According to him, residents previously endured several hours of travelling during the rainy season for journeys that would ordinarily take about 30 minutes.
On healthcare, the Speaker said he facilitated interventions in 18 primary healthcare centres and supported efforts to improve existing general and cottage hospitals.
He added that his interventions had extended beyond his constituency, noting that his position as Speaker had provided opportunities to support development projects and empowerment programmes in other parts of the state.
Addressing insecurity, particularly in Kwara North, Danladi said he facilitated the training of 300 local security personnel to strengthen surveillance and intelligence gathering in vulnerable communities, especially border settlements in Baruten Local Government Area.
He described security as fundamental to development and called for sustained collaboration among security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders and local authorities.
On his proposed administration’s priorities, the APC candidate listed human capital development, agriculture, electricity and rural infrastructure as key areas of focus.
He said improved road networks connecting farming communities to urban markets would reduce transportation costs, increase farmers’ earnings and contribute to lower food prices.
Danladi also lamented electricity challenges confronting several rural communities in Baruten, but said partnerships with investors had facilitated alternative power arrangements, including solar-powered electricity in some settlements.
He identified the establishment of the Federal Science and Technical College in Kwara North as another important intervention capable of expanding educational opportunities and stimulating development in the district.
On the political debate surrounding calls to rescue Kwara, the APC candidate questioned the rationale behind such demands, arguing that the state should focus on consolidating its development efforts.
“Why are some people saying they want to rescue Kwara? Is it from the infrastructure and development that are going on, or do we want to move forward? In life, there is no limit to development. We must continue to move forward,” he said.
He described AbdulRazaq as a leader who had laid a foundation for the state’s development, pledging to sustain ongoing programmes and improve on existing achievements.
“My brother has laid a good foundation for Kwara, and the next step is for us to build on that foundation. I am part and parcel of the foundation. It will therefore be easier for us to consolidate the gains already recorded,” he said.
Danladi also pledged balanced development across the three senatorial districts, assuring residents of Kwara North, Central and South that none would be neglected under his administration.
He expressed optimism about the economic potential of Kwara North, particularly in agriculture, rural infrastructure and electricity, saying strategic investments in the areas would stimulate economic activities and discourage rural-urban migration.
The News Keg initiative is part of the Correspondents’ Chapel’s efforts to promote issue-based political discourse and accountability by providing voters with opportunities to assess the policies, experience and development plans of candidates seeking to govern the state in 2027.