Fresh cracks have emerged within the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the open rejection of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu Danladi, as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election by the party’s Elders Caucus.
The development has exposed growing internal tensions within the ruling party as stakeholders openly challenged what they described as an attempt to impose a candidate without broad consultation across the state.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin on Monday, leaders of the caucus, regarded as the apex advisory body established to counsel the governor and provide strategic direction for the party, accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of failing to give President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC an accurate picture of the political situation in Kwara.
The elders warned that proceeding with Danladi’s candidacy could weaken the party’s electoral prospects and hand an advantage to an opposition they said had become increasingly organised and competitive.
The caucus leadership, led by its Chairman, Chief James Bamisaiye Ayeni, JP, alongside Senator Mohammed Ahmed (Kwara North), Senator Makanju Ajadi (Kwara South), and Hon. Salman Jawondo, SAN (Kwara Central), said they decided to publicly speak after exhausting internal channels without meaningful engagement.
According to them, their intervention became necessary because the party was approaching what they described as a defining political moment.
“We have invited you here today because we believe the APC in Kwara State is standing at a crossroads and that those who genuinely love this party can no longer afford the luxury of silence,” the caucus declared.
Presenting itself as the “conscience of the party,” the group said it had over the years remained committed to preserving the values and political ideals upon which the APC built its support base in Kwara.
The elders said consultations carried out across the state convinced them that Danladi does not currently possess the political reach, acceptability and electoral strength required to unify party members and secure victory in the governorship election.
“We do not believe that the purported emergence of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu Danladi as the APC governorship candidate represents the strongest political option available to the party at this critical moment,” the caucus stated.
The group stressed that its opposition was not personal but rooted in political calculations and concern for the future of the party.
“Let us state clearly that we have no personal grievance against the person of Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi. We do not begrudge his political aspirations, nor do we question his right to seek higher office. Our concern is entirely political and strategic,” they added.
The caucus argued further that the challenges confronting Kwara State, including development concerns, economic pressures and governance expectation, require a candidate capable of attracting wider public confidence.
According to the elders, the political environment ahead of 2027 differs significantly from previous election cycles and demands a more strategic approach from the APC.
“Political realities have changed. Public expectations have changed. Voter behaviour has changed. The assumption that the APC can present any candidate and still coast to victory is not supported by the facts on the ground,” they said.
The group also criticised Governor AbdulRazaq, alleging that decisions concerning succession and candidate selection appeared increasingly influenced by personal calculations rather than broader party interests.
“The future of the APC is too important to be subordinated to the ambitions or the personal ego of the Governor or any other person for that matter,” the statement read.
The elders further claimed that endorsements and publicity around Danladi’s emergence had been amplified to project an image of widespread acceptance that does not reflect realities within party structures.
“The truth is that whatever media theatrics have been staged so far are merely attempts to create a false impression of acceptance where none exists,” they alleged.
In one of their strongest accusations, the caucus alleged that certain unnamed aides within the Presidency were working behind the scenes to influence the process in favour of Danladi.
“We are aware that certain influential aides in the Presidency are actively working to foist this unpopular option on the APC in Kwara State in exchange for patronage and other pecuniary benefits now or in the foreseeable future,” they claimed.
The caucus appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda and members of the National Working Committee to urgently intervene and independently assess developments in the state.
They called for broader consultations with stakeholders before any final decision is allowed to stand.
“We urge them to take a second look at the situation in Kwara State. We urge them to engage more broadly with stakeholders across the state and to consider the long-term health, stability and sustainability of the APC above all other considerations,” the elders said.
Despite their criticisms, the caucus reaffirmed its loyalty to President Tinubu and pledged continued support for his administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The latest disagreement adds to signs of growing internal contest within the Kwara APC ahead of 2027 and underscores concerns among some party stakeholders about maintaining cohesion as succession politics gradually gathers momentum.
Efforts to obtain reactions from Governor AbdulRazaq’s camp and supporters of Speaker Danladi were not immediately successful as of the time of filing this report.
