2027: ‘He’s selfish’ — APC members reveal why Kwara South lost governorship ticket

Some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kwara State, have claimed that Kwara South lost its opportunity to produce the next governor of the state due to the selfish ambition of former Kwara APC Chairman, Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa.

According to aggrieved members who prefer anonymity, Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq was advised from the Presidential Villa to present two credible and electable aspirants from Kwara South, capable of securing victory for the ruling party in the 2027 governorship election.

They further claimed that retired Justice Isa Ayo Salami, said to be a longtime ally of President Bola Tinubu, allegedly led a delegation under the Afenifere group to recommend Bolarinwa to the president as a preferred candidate from the district.

However, Governor AbdulRazaq was reportedly reluctant to support the move, allegedly citing concerns over Bolarinwa’s popularity across Kwara South and his strained relationship with sections of the party structure.

It was alleged that during discussions with President Tinubu, stakeholders from Kwara South were given another opportunity to present an alternative consensus candidate from the district.

“However, Justice Ayo Salami and Bolarinwa reportedly insisted that if Bolarinwa was not chosen, no other aspirant from Kwara South should be considered. This development is a major setback for our district.

“Some leaders sacrificed the region’s collective interest despite the presence of several accomplished professionals, technocrats, businessmen, and academics within the APC fold,” a party chieftain from Kwara South who does not want to be mentioned lamented.

The report added that following the disagreement, Governor AbdulRazaq was allowed to proceed with plans to support a successor from Kwara North in the interest of what party leaders described as “equity and fairness,” while aspirants and party members were urged to align with the party’s position.

Kwara South politics has been described as marked by betrayal, divide-and-rule tactics, and selfish interests, which have continued to deny the region development and leadership opportunities.

DAILY POST reports that the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Saliu Danladi, emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State at the party’s primary.

The results were announced by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, chairman of the APC governorship primary election supervisory committee.

Only three aspirants—Speaker Saliu Danladi, Professor Wale Sulaiman, and Captain Mahmud—were present at the venue during the official declaration of the results.

Recall that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had publicly declared support for Ambassador Yahya-Seriki two days before the exercise, a move widely interpreted as an endorsement of his candidacy.

However, the primary election, initially scheduled for Thursday, was postponed to Friday following internal consultations and growing tension among party stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Yahya-Seriki and 11 other aspirants were absent during the announcement of the final results, further fueling speculations of dissatisfaction among some contenders over the conduct and outcome of the exercise.