Kwara APC crisis worsens as elders reject gov candidate

A faction of elders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has voiced strong opposition to the selection of the state's House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the party's governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

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We decided to intervene because the APC in Kwara State is standing at a critical crossroads, and silence at this point would amount to negligence.

The group, known as the Kwara State APC Elders Caucus, warned that retaining Danladi-Salihu as the party's flagbearer could jeopardize its chances of winning the election. They have urged President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC to revisit the primary election outcome and engage in broader consultations with stakeholders across the state.

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Many of us supported different aspirants during the governorship contest, but after the process, we deliberately set aside those preferences to evaluate the outcome strictly on the basis of what is best for the APC and Kwara State.

Speaking for the caucus, chairman James Ayenioye stated that their intervention followed extensive consultations and a review of the political implications of Danladi-Salihu's candidacy. The elders expressed concern that the process leading to Danladi-Salihu's emergence was not a credible electoral exercise, particularly noting that he had previously secured a ticket to return to the House of Assembly before being declared the winner of a governorship primary that they claim never took place.

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Salihu Yakubu Danladi, who had earlier secured the ticket to return to the House of Assembly, was surprisingly announced as the winner of a governorship primary election that, in reality, never took place.

In contrast, the state chapter of the APC has refuted the elders' claims, labeling them as false, misleading, and lacking official standing. Another group of APC elders has publicly endorsed Danladi-Salihu's candidacy, asserting that his selection is appropriate. The controversy highlights a significant internal rift within the Kwara APC as the party prepares for the upcoming gubernatorial election.

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We are amazed, very disturbed and concerned that the Governor of Kwara State, who is the leader of the APC in the state, upheld the purported victory and went ahead to present him to the national leadership as the governorship candidate of the party.