Kwara APC faces choice between regional and religious balance for governorship

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria's Kwara State is grappling with significant internal divisions as the 2027 governorship election approaches. A reconciliation committee has been formed to address the rift between the G15 bloc and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's supporters.

While a strong argument is being made for the governorship to shift to Kwara North to address long-standing marginalization, the article posits that religious balancing warrants equal, if not greater, consideration. The author argues that sustainable politics requires deliberate inclusion, not just of regions but also of significant societal segments like the Christian community.

Kwara State has not elected a Christian governor since Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo's brief term during the Second Republic, which ended in 1983. In contrast, Kwara North, despite its own aspirations for representation, has had leadership figures during military rule. The piece suggests that for the APC to heal perceived injustices and strengthen its position, it must consider both regional and religious balancing, warning that ignoring one aspect for another could merely replace one grievance with a new one.