A total of 100 National Assembly candidates have been registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest for seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2027 general elections in Kwara State. The INEC made this information available in Ilorin through a final list of Senate and House of Representatives candidates signed by the Secretary of INEC, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
Out of the 100 candidates, 35 senatorial candidates are contesting for the three available Senate seats in Kwara State. The districts have the following number of candidates: 11 from Kwara North, 11 from Kwara South, and 13 from Kwara Central. Notable senatorial candidates include the incumbent governor of the state, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who is contesting under the ruling APC, and the incumbent holder of the office, Senator Saliu Mustapha, formerly of the APC and now contesting under the opposition PDP.
The 13 political parties contesting in the Kwara senatorial elections are A, AA, ADP, APP, ADC, APC, APM, LP, NRM, NNDP, NDC, PDP, and the SDP. Seven of the senatorial candidates are females, including Temako Naomi of the ADP, Ibrahim Ramat of the APP, and Owolabi Felicia of the APM, all from Kwara North. The others are Adesola Kehinde of the AA, Abdulahi Risikat Motunrayo of the ADC, Abdulkareem-Adisa Maryam Ayoola-Fadekemi of the LP, and Anifowose Grace of the SDP.
The oldest among the Kwara senatorial candidates is 72-year-old Iyiola Oyedepo of the ADC, while the youngest is 36-year-old Ibrahim Ramat of the APP. A total of 65 candidates from 12 different political parties are contesting for the six slots of the House of Representatives seats in various federal constituencies, including Baruten/Kaiama, Edu/Moro/Pategi, Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke Ero, Ilorin East/Ilorin South, Ilorin West/Asa, and Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun.
The House of Representatives seats have a varying number of candidates per constituency: Baruten/Kaiama has 9 candidates, Edu/Moro/Pategi has 12 candidates, Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke Ero has 9 candidates, Ilorin East/Ilorin South has 12 candidates, Ilorin West/Asa has 11 candidates, and Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun has 12 candidates. The large number of candidates indicates a highly competitive election in Kwara State.
The presence of notable candidates such as the incumbent governor and senator is expected to significantly influence the election. The candidates' parties and constituencies will play a crucial role in determining the election's outcome. INEC's role in ensuring a free and fair election will be closely watched.
Ultimately, the elections will determine the next representatives of Kwara State in the National Assembly. The elected candidates will represent the interests of their constituents in the Senate and House of Representatives. Key Point: A total of 100 candidates are contesting for nine National Assembly seats in Kwara State. Key Point: The election features 35 senatorial candidates and 65 House of Representatives candidates. Key Point: Seven female candidates are among the senatorial contestants.
