A group of elders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has reaffirmed its support for the party’s governorship candidate, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi Salihu. They described him as the product of a credible primary process and a candidate with widespread appeal across the state.
Stakeholders Address Press Conference
Addressing a press conference in Ilorin on Monday, the stakeholders dismissed concerns raised by some party members over the governorship primary. They insisted that the exercise was peaceful and reflected the will of delegates. The group, drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, included Chairman of the Lower River Niger Basin Development Authority, Lateef Gidado Alakawa; Nurudeen Mohammed; Hassan Oyeleke; Mustapha Kobe; Abdulrazaq Lawal; Adamu Sabi; Kayode Towoju; Sadu Salahudeen; Wasiu Tejidini; and Bamidele Aluko, among others. Also present were members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, the 16 APC local government chairmen, council chairmen and other party stakeholders.
Reading the Group’s Position
Reading the group’s position, Alakawa said the APC primaries for various elective offices in the state were conducted peacefully under the supervision of a committee constituted by the party’s national leadership. “The general public is aware of the fact that our party held its primaries for all the elective offices, including the governorship ticket, in a peaceful atmosphere. The results of the governorship primary were announced by the chairman of the panel sent from Abuja to conduct the exercise, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, in the presence of party members at the Banquet Hall in Ilorin,” he said.
According to the stakeholders, the governorship primary held on May 22, 2026, produced Danladi as the party’s flag bearer. They noted that following the declaration of the results, the Speaker had reached out to fellow aspirants and embarked on consultations with key stakeholders and traditional rulers across the state. “As a team player, the APC governorship candidate has extended the hand of fellowship to his co-contestants and has continued consultations with leaders and stakeholders across the state,” the statement said.
Defending Danladi’s Candidacy
The group described Danladi as an experienced politician with youth appeal, citing his seven-year tenure as Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and his professional background as an engineer. They also defended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq against allegations of interference in the primary process. “We wish to clarify that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq did not impose any candidate on the party. He allowed a free contest and accepted the outcome of an exercise supervised by officials from the party’s national headquarters,” Alakawa said.
The stakeholders referred to the figures announced by the APC primary committee, which indicated that Danladi secured 94,990 votes to emerge victorious ahead of eight other aspirants. They argued that the results reflected broad-based support for the Speaker across the state’s three senatorial districts. “The outcome demonstrated the confidence reposed in Danladi by delegates from across Kwara North, Kwara Central and Kwara South,” the statement added.
Call for Unity Ahead of 2027 Elections
The group called on aggrieved party members and stakeholders to embrace reconciliation and work together for the success of the APC in the 2027 general elections. “What we expect at this stage is unity of purpose and collective commitment towards ensuring the continued progress of our party and the state,” they said. They expressed confidence in the APC’s chances in the next election and pledged support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor AbdulRazaq and the party’s candidates. “We remain committed to the ideals of the APC and are confident that with unity and cooperation, the party will once again secure the mandate of the people of Kwara State in 2027,” the stakeholders stated.
