Lukman Agbelere, Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area in Kwara State, has halted a multi-million naira renovation project for the Awodi Primary Healthcare Centre, facilitated by Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central.

The federal government-funded project, valued at approximately N200 million, aimed to upgrade the healthcare centre in Gambari Ward II, following a community request to Senator Mustapha on 12 February 2025, to enhance grassroots medical services.

In a video that surfaced online, Agbelere confirmed his decision to block the project, citing a lack of formal communication from Mustapha's office and noting that the council had already budgeted for the centre's renovation in its 2025 plans.

Agbelere, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed loyalty to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, stating in Yoruba, "Ota oga mi, ota mi" ("an enemy of my boss is my enemy"), linking his decision to political tensions between the governor and Mustapha.

The halt has sparked protests in Ilorin, with residents and civil society groups accusing Agbelere of prioritizing political allegiance over public welfare, amid a deepening rift within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, Mr. Agbelere, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), claimed that the local government council had the capacity to execute the renovation independently, adding that the decision to take over the project was in line with the state government's directive on grassroots development.

"I won't allow it. We'll do it ourselves, there is no project the Senator facilitates that the council cannot achieve in a better fold," the chairman declared, as he addressed a gathering in the now-viral video. He also responded to criticisms he said were aired during a local radio programme, where he was accused of obstructing development due to political rivalry.

Mr. Agbelere's comments have sparked widespread reactions across the state, amid growing concerns over internal divisions within the ruling APC.

Political analysts have linked the development to a deepening rift between Senator Mustapha and the state governor, particularly as succession politics ahead of the 2027 governorship election begin to shape alliances and loyalties within the party.

Several residents and civil society groups have condemned the chairman's actions, accusing him of placing political interests above public welfare.

The convener of the Good Governance Group, Alhaji Shola Muse, said the LGA Chairman's action is sabotage of the President's Renewed Hope Agenda in the health and agriculture sectors.

"This is not the first time the senator's projects have been cancelled. So far, the totality of the projects run into billions of naira. What they failed to realise is that these are not personal projects of the Senator but federal government projects for the development of the grassroots. So, the party, the federal government and ultimately the people are the ones on the receiving end."

Observers note that the clash is the latest in a series of quiet tensions within the Kwara APC, raising questions about how intra-party politics may affect federal interventions in the state.