Kwara Governor Appoints Rival as Hajj Coordinator for 2027

The governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has named Mashood Mustapha as the head of the state's group for the 2027 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

This news came in a statement on Thursday from the Deputy Chief Press Secretary at the Government House, Mashood Agboola.

As the Ameerul Hajj, Mr Mustapha will oversee the state’s Hajj activities in 2027 alongside other officials from different government levels.

Known as MM, Mr Mustapha served as a member of the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. He also holds the traditional title of Wakili of Ilorin Emirate.

Recent Developments

This appointment follows Vice President Kashim Shettima's visit to Ilorin. He attended the turbaning ceremony where the governor was made the Sarduana of Ilorin by the emir, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari. During the event, Mr Shettima urged political leaders in the state to avoid bitter politics and to resolve their differences.

Governor AbdulRazaq and Mr Mustapha have had a tense relationship. This tension led to Mr Mustapha leaving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The disagreement between them started after the state government canceled a concession that Mr Mustapha’s company had over the Kwara Hotel in Ilorin. The state has since invested billions of naira to renovate the hotel.

After leaving the APC, Mr Mustapha took the senatorial ticket for Kwara Central District under the PDP. He was set to face Mr AbdulRazaq, the APC candidate, in the upcoming election.

But after some APC members and former governor Bukola Saraki’s faction of the PDP realigned, Mr Mustapha gave up the ticket for Salihu Mustapha, the current senator.

Salihu Mustapha had previously tried for the APC governorship ticket but was unsuccessful.

Right now, it is not clear if this new appointment means that Governor AbdulRazaq and Mr Mustapha are patching things up.