Former Kwara State PDP Chairman and political veteran, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, has declared that there is no constitutional, moral, or political barrier stopping a Christian from becoming governor of Kwara in 2027 — warning that the growing use of religion as a political weapon could destabilize the state and deepen Nigeria’s divisions.
In an interview in Ilorin on Thursday, Oyedepo — a lawyer, two-time commissioner, and key architect of the O to ge movement that swept Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to power — urged voters to reject sentiments that suggest only a Muslim can govern Kwara.
> “We all own Kwara together; we all contribute to its progress. It is not written anywhere that a Christian can’t rule this state,” Oyedepo said. “Those who think otherwise are very few. The majority of Muslims in Kwara just want good governance — not a governor chosen by faith.”
The former legislator and Chief Whip of the Kwara State House of Assembly argued that competence, not creed, should define leadership choices as the state approaches another electoral crossroads.
> “A good Christian candidate must engage the people directly — go to the jamaa and speak to their hearts,” he said. “During the O to ge struggle, I saw firsthand that when you speak truth and sincerity, people listen, regardless of religion.”
Oyedepo, however, acknowledged that some political players would still exploit religious emotions for personal gain, calling such tactics “dangerous and short-sighted.”
> “Religion has become a variable in Nigerian politics, but saying a Christian cannot win in Kwara is self-serving. It’s not in the public interest,” he warned.
He linked this rising intolerance to broader national tensions, including what he described as the government’s weak response to alleged targeted killings and Islamist-inspired violence in parts of the North Central region.
> “If government had acted decisively from the onset, the situation wouldn’t have degenerated to what we are seeing now. Global attention is already on Nigeria after the U.S. listed us as a country of particular concern over religious intolerance,” Oyedepo said.
He urged both political leaders and the electorate to prioritize unity, competence, and justice over parochialism as Kwara decides its post-Abdulrazaq future.
> “We can’t afford to let religion tear us apart. Leadership should heal, not divide,” he said.