Kwara: APC gov aspirants reject Yakubu Danladi, seek Tinubu’s intervention
A group of governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara has written to President Bola Tinubu, asking him to intervene in what they described as the worsening crisis within the party in the state.
In a joint letter dated June 19 and addressed to the president, the aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to him and pledged support for his re-election bid in 2027.
The letter was signed by 10 governorship aspirants, including Yahaya Seriki Gambari, Saliu Mustapha, Yahaya Oloriegbe, Dele Belgore, Omar Bio, and Bashir Bolarinwa.
Their letter followed the emergence of Yakubu Danladi, speaker of the Kwara house of assembly, as the APC governorship candidate in the state.
Danladi was declared winner of the party’s primaries on May 22, after securing 94,990 votes to defeat Abdulfatai Seriki, who polled 41,700 votes. Bashir Bolarinwa, former Kwara APC chairman, came third in the poll with 22,118 votes.
Other aspirants in the contest included Femi Sanni, who scored 5,990 votes, former senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, with 3,910 votes, and Dele Belgore, who polled 3,411 votes.
However, there has been a growing dissent over Danladi’s emergence as the party’s flagbearer, with critics arguing that he lacks the statewide appeal needed to retain power for the APC.
In their letter, the aspirants expressed over the development in the state chapter of the party and urged urgent intervention.
“While we join in celebrating the milestones of your administration, we consider it imperative to draw
your urgent attention to the grave and worsening situation within our party in Kwara State,” the letter reads.
“We do so with profound respect, but also with a deep sense of responsibility and concern for the future of the
APC and the political legacy your leadership helped to shape in our state.”
‘APC COALITION IS BEING WEAKENED’
The governorship hopefuls said the gains of the 2019 “O to ge” movement had not been consolidated under the administration of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara.
They alleged that key stakeholders who contributed to the emergence of the APC in the state had been sidelined from party and government affairs.
“Over the past seven years, key stakeholders who devoted their resources, energy, and political capital to the building of the APC in Kwara State have been alienated, marginalized, or deliberately excluded from meaningful participation in both government and party affairs,” they said.
They added that the development had weakened the APC’s support base and strengthened opposition elements in the state.
They also argued that AbdulRazaq no longer possesses the political authority to determine the party’s future direction in Kwara.
“In our firm assessment, Governor AbdulRazaq has lost the moral and political authority to determine the future of the APC in Kwara State,” they said.
“His popularity has declined markedly, and there is widespread apprehension among party members and stakeholders that any candidate associated with his endorsement may be seriously disadvantaged at the polls.”
The aspirants urged Tinubu to examine developments in the state, particularly the circumstances surrounding the party’s governorship primary.
“That Your Excellency take a sober and critical look at the developments in Kwara State, including the circumstances surrounding the announcement of results for primaries that did not hold, and intervene in the interest of the party’s survival,” they said.
They also asked the president to review the records, loyalty, capacity, and statewide acceptability of all governorship aspirants.
The group pledged to support any consensus candidate acceptable to Tinubu and the APC.
“Should Your Excellency adopt such a course, we give our solemn assurance that we will rally behind any consensus candidate acceptable to Your Excellency and the party,” they said.
“We further pledge to commit our collective structures, resources, and political capital toward securing victory for all APC candidates in the 2027 elections.”
The aspirants warned that the APC could face serious electoral challenges in Kwara if urgent steps are not taken to address the situation.
“Your Excellency, we must state without ambiguity that if the present trajectory is allowed to continue, the electoral prospects of the APC in Kwara State in all elections, including the presidential election, will be severely imperilled,” they said.
“Indeed, many stakeholders may be left with no choice but to seek alternative political platforms to pursue their aspirations in 2027.”
The governorship hopefuls appealed to Tinubu to intervene to preserve the party’s unity and electoral fortunes ahead of the 2027 elections.
