2027: Constituents oppose lawmaker’s fourth term bid

The APC members staged a protest at the voting centre in Omu-Aran, where they had gathered for the constituency’s primary election.

Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara State have opposed moves to adopt the current lawmaker representing the constituency, Raheem Tunji, as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 election.

The party members, on Saturday, staged a protest at the voting centre in Omu-Aran, where they had gathered for the constituency’s primary election.

They chanted solidarity songs and demanded that the party’s ticket be zoned to Ekiti Local Government Area of the constituency. A video of the protest has since gone viral on social media.

In the video, the visibly aggrieved party members complained that allowing the lawmaker to seek a fourth term would be unfair to other zones within the constituency.

They also called on party leaders at both the state and federal levels to intervene in the matter.

The federal constituency comprises four local government areas in the southern part of Kwara State, which include Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-Ero.

About 11 aspirants from the four local government areas are jostling for the APC candidacy ahead of the 2027 general election.

Mr Tunji, who currently represents the constituency, first entered the House of Representatives through a 2018 bye-election and has since won re-election twice. He hails from Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area.

The constituency is often regarded as a dominant political bloc within the larger Kwara South Senatorial District.

There are debates within Nigeria’s political space over prolonged stays in elective offices, especially at the National Assembly, where some lawmakers have remained in parliament for decades.

Some argue that the trend weakens internal democracy, limits opportunities for younger politicians and discourages power rotation among constituencies and political blocs. Supporters, however, often defend long-serving lawmakers on the grounds of experience, ranking advantage and their ability to attract projects to their constituencies.

Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, a number of federal lawmakers have spent more than two decades in the National Assembly.

In the Senate, lawmakers such as Ahmad Lawan and Ali Ndume have remained influential voices after multiple terms in the parliament.

In the House of Representatives, lawmakers like Nicholas Mutu and Muktar Betara are among those who have spent several consecutive terms in the green chamber.

Political analysts say extended tenures often strengthen the influence of incumbents within party structures, making it difficult for new entrants to emerge. They also note that disputes over zoning and power sharing, as the one witnessed in the Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, are becoming more frequent as communities demand wider representation and equitable distribution of political offices.

Others, however, argue that legislative experience can be beneficial, especially in a system where seniority often determines committee leadership and access to strategic positions. They contend that long-serving lawmakers may have better understanding of the legislative process and stronger networks needed to lobby for constituency projects and national appointments.