The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has raised questions over the inclusion of Dr. Mrs. AbdulRaheem Khadijat, wife of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWASUBEB) Chairman, Professor AbdulRaheem Adaramaja, in the state’s official delegation to Singapore for the 2025 Asia Parliamentary International Debate Competition (Junior Secondary School category).

Mrs. AbdulRaheem, who is not a KWASUBEB staff member but an employee of the University of Ilorin, was reportedly photographed in an official KWASUBEB uniform alongside other delegation members. The PDP expressed concern that qualified teachers and officials directly responsible for the students were excluded from the trip, describing her presence as nepotistic and unethical.

In response, the Kwara State Government defended her participation, with Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye stating that her inclusion was based on her professional qualifications and her role in preparing students for the competition. Ajakaye emphasized that her trip was privately funded by her husband and that the state incurred no expense for her travel.

“She accompanied her husband on the trip at no cost to the state and contributed her expertise to the students’ success,” Ajakaye said, adding that her involvement in tutoring students began in June and was known to other coaches.

Despite these explanations, critics argue that the matter raises questions of ethics, transparency, and fairness. The PDP called on the state government and Commissioner for Education, Mallam Lawal Olohungbebe, to provide further clarification on the delegation’s composition, the issuance of KWASUBEB uniforms to a non-staff member, and why statutory officers were allegedly sidelined.

The opposition party also linked the incident to broader concerns about administrative integrity in the state, warning that such controversies erode public trust in the Kwara State Government.