Thirty-eight founding leaders of the Otoge Movement in Kwara State have publicly accused the G15 group of attempting to appropriate the movement's identity while issuing threats against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The leaders released a joint statement on Wednesday, July 9, condemning what they described as a contradiction at the heart of the G15's position—that a group allegedly warning Tinubu of electoral losses in Kwara could simultaneously claim to be custodians of the Otoge movement's values.
G15 Accused of Political Blackmail
"You cannot threaten President Tinubu with electoral consequences today because of your own interests and expect Nigerians to believe you are defending the movement that brought progressive politics to Kwara," the statement read. The founding leaders argued that the Otoge movement was never the property of any individual, pressure group or political bloc, describing it as a collective struggle through which millions of Kwarans demanded accountability, development and responsible governance. On that basis, they said, the G15's claim to its legacy was untenable.
They pointed to the G15's recent conduct as evidence of bad faith, citing the group's public criticism of APC leadership decisions, its questioning of primary election outcomes and suggestions from within the group that it might leave the party altogether. The statement also alleged that several politicians now prominent in the G15 had previously praised Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and recognized the achievements of his administration, only reversing course after their individual political ambitions went unmet.
Aggrieved Party Members Advised on What to Do
The founding leaders drew a sharp distinction between the recent #KwaraNdupe Rally and the G15's own gathering. They said thousands of APC members and supporters attended the former to celebrate Tinubu, Governor AbdulRazaq and the party, before proceeding to the Emir of Ilorin's Palace for a royal audience. By contrast, they described the G15 event as little more than a photo opportunity, adding that the group's attempt to visit the Emir's Palace did not go ahead because palace protocol requires official visits to be arranged in advance.
The statement also took aim at campaign materials it alleged suggested Tinubu was "trading with Kwara," describing such messaging as divisive and harmful to APC unity. The founders urged discontented party members to pursue their grievances through the APC's internal constitutional processes rather than through media campaigns and public pressure.
Reaffirmation of Loyalty to Tinubu and APC
Reaffirming their allegiance to Tinubu, Governor AbdulRazaq and the party's national leadership, the signatories said the Otoge movement remained "a people's movement built on courage, consistency, loyalty and service, not personal ambition." The statement was signed by 38 founding leaders, among them Hon. Raji Atolagbe Muhammad, Prof. Abdulraheem Sheu Adaramaja, Alhaji Mustapha Kobe, Hon. Femi Agbaje Whyte, Chief Michael Iyanda, Engr. Benjamin Oyeyemi, and Alhaja Aminat Gbolasere, among others.
Danladi Emerges APC Gov Candidate in Kwara
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, emerged as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election in the state. Danladi was declared the winner of the party’s governorship primary held at the Banquet Hall in Ilorin on Friday evening, May 22, after polling 94,990 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, who secured 41,700 votes. Another aspirant, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, garnered 22,118 votes.
