Renowned academic and policy expert, Prof. Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia has officially emerged as the Kwara State Gubernatorial Candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Prof. Ajia clinched the ticket unopposed during the party’s highly anticipated Harmonization Exercise and Primary Election, held on Saturday at the State COPDEM Secretariat along Mandate Road in Ilorin.
The internal party election was closely monitored by the NDC National Election Observer Committee.
Hon. Engr. Thomas Gana, a representative from the NDC national body who doubles as the Zonal Publicity Secretary and Interim State Party Chairman, was on ground to oversee the transition.
Delivering his remarks during the congress, Engr. Gana lauded the peaceful conduct of the delegates, describing the harmonization process as a baseline template for true internal democracy in Nigeria.
The congress drew massive participation, bringing together hundreds of enthusiastic party members and representatives across all 193 wards of Kwara State.
Accepting the nomination, Prof. Ajia extended profound appreciation to the leadership, stakeholders, and grassroots members across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state. He emphasized that the seamless harmonization proved that dialogue and collective interest can triumph over individual ambitions.
“We demonstrated something very important today, we demonstrated that unity is possible, that dialogue is possible, and most importantly, that the collective interest of the party is greater than individual interests,” Prof. Ajia said.
“In this process, nobody lost anything; everybody won.” He added.
Turning his sights toward the governance of Kwara State, the newly minted standard-bearer lambasted the ruling class for running systems disconnected from the economic vulnerabilities of everyday citizens.
“Kwara State deserves more. Our people deserve a government that works, a government that plans, and a government that delivers, one that treats public office as a sacred trust and not as an entitlement. My vision is rooted in a simple but urgent belief: the future can no longer wait; the future is now.” He added.
Prof. Ajia outlined a serious, practical developmental agenda built on structural systems-building rather than political transactionalism.
He highlighted some of his visions as follows;
Job Creation:
Reversing the structural exclusion, unemployment, and hopelessness facing brilliant Kwara youths.
Infrastructure & Rural Integration:
Reconnecting abandoned agricultural corridors and farming communities to stable markets.
Human Care & Services: Revamping delivery systems in public education and healthcare regardless of socioeconomic backgrounds.
End to Godfatherism: Rejecting imposed leadership and the politics of bitterness, insults, or division.
Acknowledging the heavy presence of young people at the COPDEM Secretariat, the candidate challenged the state’s younger demographic to seize the moment.
“This campaign will not be driven by bitterness or insults. It will be driven by ideas, competence, discipline, and measurable results. I recognize the road ahead will not be easy; entrenched political interests rarely surrender power willingly. However, no political structure is stronger than a determined people united by a collective purpose, He stated adding that this is a generational responsibility.
9japarrot reports that with the successful completion of the state primary and pending formal ratification by the national working committee, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has drawn its battle lines, positioning itself as a formidable, issue-driven alternative for Kwarans seeking institutional change.
