APC Faces Kwara Election Loss Risk Over Zoning Strategy, NILDS DG Warns
The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Suleiman, has issued a stark warning that the All Progressives Congress (APC) risks losing the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State if it proceeds to zone the ticket to Kwara North without first securing a clear electoral advantage.
Zoning Must Serve Electoral Victory, Not Undermine It
In a detailed statement shared across his media platforms, Professor Suleiman acknowledged the legitimate role of power rotation in a diverse state like Kwara, where balancing opportunities among the three senatorial districts—Kwara North, Central, and South—is crucial for fostering political inclusion and stability.
"Zoning is legitimate, but it must not be treated as an end in itself," he emphasized. "For any political party, the primary objective is victory. Zoning that undermines that objective becomes counterproductive."
Electoral Realities Must Guide Strategic Decisions
The NILDS DG stressed that political parties should base zoning decisions on measurable factors, including voter distribution patterns, historical voting trends, the strength of grassroots networks, and the overall popularity of potential candidates. He cautioned that ignoring these critical realities could transform a well-intentioned rotational arrangement into a significant strategic liability.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the 2023 general elections, Professor Suleiman pointed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a cautionary example. The PDP had zoned its governorship ticket to Kwara North and subsequently suffered electoral setbacks as a result.
"And the same PDP, with all intelligence, is trying to correct its past mistakes now by taking power back to Central this time around," he noted, highlighting the party's adaptive strategy.
A Call for Unity and Strategic Consensus
Warning the APC against repeating similar errors, Professor Suleiman stated, "It will be suicidal on the side of APC. It will be a major risk, an unpardonable risk, if out of love, emotion, sentiment, we decided to sink in the same hole."
He further emphasized that achieving broad consensus within the party and maintaining unity across Kwara North, Central, and South is absolutely critical to securing electoral success in the upcoming 2027 governorship election. The professor underscored that while zoning can promote equity, it must be strategically aligned with electoral viability to ensure political triumph.
