INEC unveils 12 candidates for 2027 Kwara governorship election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially unveiled 12 governorship candidates and their running mates for the 2027 Kwara State governorship election, formally setting the stage for the contest. The announcement was made at the commission's office in Ilorin, the state capital, on Saturday.

Candidates have been nominated from various political parties. The All Progressives Congress (APC) will field the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, with Bello Mubarak Salau as his running mate. Danladi-Salihu secured the party's nomination in May, chaired by former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated Bolakale Kawu as its governorship candidate, accompanied by Fawenu Corlenius as his running mate. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) will contest with Apaokagi Salahudeen as its governorship candidate and Kolawole Thawphic as his running mate. Apaokagi previously ran for the Kwara Central Senatorial District seat in the 2023 general elections.

Other parties fielding candidates include 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. The unveiling of these candidates signifies a major step towards the 2027 election, as political parties ramp up their preparations.