Kwara 2027: INEC unveils list of candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially displayed the initial list of candidates and their running mates for the 2027 Kwara State governorship election.

This followed INEC’s scheduled timeline to release the provisional lists for the February 6, 2027, governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls.

The provisional list, unveiled at the commission’s office in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Saturday, featured 12 gubernatorial candidates and their running mates from various political parties.

The commission listed the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside Bello Mubarak Salau as his running mate.

The APC primary election, chaired by former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, had in May declared Danladi the winner of the party’s governorship primary.

The Peoples Democratic Party fielded Bolakale Kawu as its governorship candidate, with Fawenu Corlenius as his running mate.

The Social Democratic Party is contesting the election with Apaokagi Salahudeen as its governorship candidate and Kolawole Thawphic as his running mate.

Apaokagi, who contested the Kwara Central Senatorial District seat in the 2023 general elections, is among the candidates seeking to unseat the ruling APC in 2027.

The Action Democratic Party, Accord Party, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Movement, National Democratic Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance and New Nigeria Peoples Party also fielded candidates for the election.

The unveiling of the candidates marks a significant step towards the 2027 governorship election as political parties intensify preparations for the poll.

Kwara 2027 governorship candidates:

All Progressives Congress (APC): Yakubu Danladi-Salihu — Bello Mubarak Salau

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): Bolakale Kawu — Fawenu Corlenius

Social Democratic Party (SDP): Apaokagi Salahudeen — Kolawole Thawphic

Action Democratic Party (ADP): Adeshina Ajisafe — Suleiman Jubri

Accord Party: Seko Jubril Gure — Michael Jolayemi

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC): Yinka Ajia — Olayide Olawuyi

Action Peoples Party (APP): Omotoso Bamidele Olaitan — Aremu Toyin Wahab

Action Alliance (AA): Kolo Ezekiel — Olanipekun Ismail Olabode

Action Peoples Movement (APM): Oluwole Tolu — Jaiyeola Motunrayo

National Democratic Party (NDP): Decean Shola Victor Abioye — Issa Salihu

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): Sule Ajayi — Afolabi Moses Folorunsho

New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP): Lamidi Isiaka Akanni — Grace Abosede Ogundele

The first name in each entry is the governorship candidate, while the second is the running mate.