Kwara APC aspirants shun Gov AbdulRazaq consensus meeting

Fresh tensions have surfaced within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State after several governorship aspirants reportedly boycotted a consensus meeting convened by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq ahead of the party’s primaries.

The development highlights deepening divisions within the ruling party over succession plans and the selection of a consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Sources said about 16 aspirants had purchased nomination forms for the primaries scheduled for later this week. However, most of them stayed away from Thursday’s meeting in Ilorin amid suspicions that it was designed to endorse a preferred candidate.

Only Mohammed Belgore was reported to have attended, forcing organisers to suspend further discussions.

The boycott comes despite repeated calls for unity by Governor AbdulRazaq, who had earlier urged party members to remain loyal and support Bola Tinubu regardless of the outcome of the primaries.

Behind the scenes, however, disagreements over zoning, political strategy, and control of party structures are said to be intensifying.

Party insiders claim President Tinubu is concerned about the governor’s inability to build consensus among key stakeholders ahead of the primaries.

According to sources, AbdulRazaq initially favoured a successor from Kwara North, reportedly backing Speaker Yakubu Danladi, but concerns over the district’s electoral strength complicated the move.

Subsequent efforts by party leaders to rally behind former state APC chairman Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa from Kwara South reportedly failed, with the governor said to have rejected the option due to strained relations.

Attention later shifted to Kwara Central, where Senator Saliu Mustapha was considered a strong contender capable of challenging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) influence led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki. However, sources claimed the governor instead preferred businessman Yahaya Seriki.

The report also indicated that AbdulRazaq recently travelled to France, where he met with President Tinubu to discuss succession politics in the state.

Meanwhile, the internal crisis has been compounded by controversies surrounding the screening of House of Assembly aspirants. Out of 158 aspirants, only 53 were cleared to contest, while 105 were disqualified.

Several sitting lawmakers, particularly from Kwara South, were affected by the screening outcome, including representatives from Omupo, Share/Oke-Ode, and other constituencies. In Kwara North, a suspended lawmaker representing Edu Constituency was also screened out.

Despite the tensions, some lawmakers from Kwara Central and North reportedly passed the screening, including the Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly.

Political observers warn that the growing rift within the APC could significantly shape Kwara’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections, especially as the PDP under Saraki appears to be consolidating its position across the state.