As political activities in Kwara State get more intense, one interesting feature is the array of youths who have signified interest to contest for the various seats up for grabs come 2023.

Majority of these not-too-young-to-run apostles who have signified interest to come into the arena and challenge the status quo are within the 30-40 years age bracket.

While some of them are not new in the political history of the state, this is the first time they have decided to throw their hats into the ring.

While some political observers are of the opinion that it might be difficult to make headway as these new gladiators lack the deep pockets and resources to make progress in an over monetized political system, others found their decision to contest and dare the system an exciting scenario that will further rob off on the political trajectory of the state after the Otoge episode in 2015.

Some of them have further underscored the conviction by announcing their arrivals under political parties outside the PDP and APC.

Such decision, though strip them of the support and finance of major and prominent political ‘godfathers’ in Kwara today like Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki among others, these youths are banking on what many have described as the ‘era of popular candidates’ against political parties or godfatherism.

However, there are some contesting under the platform of the two major parties – PDP and APC, who are not really disciples of the Abdulrazaqs and Sarakis but are only trying to use the structure of the party to actualize their political ambition and also have enough resources to spend.

Whereas there are some aspirants also banking on the support of these godfathers and are even their foot soldiers, their decision to brace the odds considering their age has been a talking point in political circles in the state. But how far they can go despite the support of their godfathers remains to be seen.

Abdulrasheed Akogun (SDP)

Investigative journalist and activist, Abdulrasheed Akogun, 34, is popularly called ‘Shoboi’ and hails from Oke-Ode 1 in Ifelodun Local Government Area. He has never held any political position, but was the spokesman of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq campaign organization (Kwara Central) in 2019. He’s aspiring to represent Share/Oke Ode state Constituency in Ifelodun LG. Although his entrance into the race has ruffled feathers and generated discuss, especially his decision to pitch tent with SDP, he however has a wide network of friends across political parties in the state.

Comr. Ibrahim Sheriff Gold (SDP)

A journalist and former student unionist, he was a media aide to opposition PDP House of Reps candidate for Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency in 2015 and also member of AbdulRazaq Campaign Organization media committee in 2019. He was appointed SA Media to the Speaker in June 2019, but left office in February 2021 amidst infighting within the APC which pitched him against the governor’s camp and necessitated his resignation from office. Although a blog owned by the governor’s media aide reported that Sheriff was sacked from office, he said there was no communication to that effect from the House of Assembly or Speaker’s office. Sheriff, at 32, is aspiring to represent Ilorin South State Constituency at the Kwara State House of Assembly.

Dr. Toba Oloyede (APC)

Dr. Toba Oloyede is a US based IT expert aspiring to represent Irepodun/Isin/Ekiti/Oke Ero Federal Constituency at the National Assembly. He trained as a medical doctor. Although he has been part of different struggles to oust the Saraki dynasty, he is contesting elective office for the first time and hails from Iji-Isin, Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State. Born in 1984, he graduated from Iludun-Oro Comprehensive High School in 2001 and went ahead to study Computer Science at the Lagos State University (LASU). He advanced by obtaining a Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the City and Guilds of London. In 2006, his interest in human physiology got a boost when he got admission to study medicine at Ryazan I.P. Pavlov Medical University in Russia where he served as president of the Nigerian Students Association. Transferring to Windsor University School of Medicine, St. Kitts and Nevis, North America, he completed his clinical medical education and graduated as a medical doctor. Returning to Nigeria, Toba floated Seramos Nigeria Limited, with a portfolio covering Health Management, Agriculture and Education.

Charles Olufemi Folayan (YPP)

Charles Olufemi Folayan is a House of Reps aspirant for Irepodun/Isin/Ekiti/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency who hails from Oke-Ero Local Government and is 37 years old. A former Welfare Director of the Federation of Oke-Ero Student Union (FEDOSU) 2006, he later became the Vice-President of the National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) in 2006. A former legislative aide at the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015 and Technical Assistant (Office of the SA to the President on Youth and Student Affairs) between 2015 and 2019, he was the Kwara State Secretary (Youth Mobilisation Committee) of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and the Co-Coordinator of the Kwara Alliance for Buhari/Osinbajo.

Folayan is the pioneer National Publicity Secretary of YPP in 2017, its National Youth Leader in 2018, and the Kwara State Chairman of the party from 2020 to April 2022.

Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Ajia (PDP)

Although running on the platform of the PDP, MIA is not really a ‘Sarakite’ and has very deep pocket to finance his ambition. A 2019 gubernatorial aspirant of the PDP, Ajia who was perhaps the youngest amongst aspirant then at 41, has dropped his governorship ambition for the House of Representatives after the PDP zoned the ticket to Kwara North. A young, retired, but well experienced police officer, he was one-time ADC to a former Gombe State governor as well as former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim. The founder of Mohammed Ibrahim Ajia Foundation is gunning for the Reps this time, but has however informed that he will contest the governorship if the aspirants of the party from Kwara North failed to take advantage of the situation of the zoning to present a candidate.

Baba Idris (PDP)

Born in 1984, Baba Idris is a PDP aspirant for the gubernatorial election. Idris, who hails from Patigi Local Government Area, joined the race after the party micro zoned the ticket to Edu/Patigi/Baruteen among the five councils that make up the district. This is the first time Idris, who is a long-time aide of former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, will be aspiring for any political office in Kwara.