Ten Kwara APC aspirants petition President Tinubu over Speaker Danladi’s nomination as governor candidate

Ten dissatisfied candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) who took part in Kwara State’s recent governorship primary, which selected Engr. Yakubu Danladi Salihu—Speaker of the State House of Assembly—as the party’s flag‑bearer for the 2027 general elections, have filed a petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They allege that the president’s actions amount to an imposition on the party.

The petitioners urge the president to intervene in the contentious primary or risk losing Kwara State in the 2027 elections. They warn that if the current course continues, the APC’s electoral prospects in future contests could be severely jeopardised, forcing many party members to seek alternative political platforms.

In a joint letter released on Saturday and addressed to the president, the aggrieved aspirants highlight what they describe as a “grave and worsening situation” within the state chapter of the party.

The letter states in part:

“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.”

“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.”

“Your Excellency will recall the historic Otoge movement, which culminated in the landmark victory of the APC in 2019. That victory was not the product of any single individual, but of a broad coalition of stakeholders, political tendencies, community leaders, party loyalists and progressive forces united by a shared resolve to end political domination and restore democratic inclusion in Kwara State.”

“Regrettably, the gains of that collective sacrifice have not been consolidated in a manner that reflects the magnitude of the effort and expectations of our people.”

“The individual who emerged as the principal beneficiary of that historic victory, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has, in our considered view, failed to provide the inclusive, broad‑based and unifying leadership required to sustain the coalition that brought our party to power.”

“Over the past seven years, key stakeholders who devoted their resources, energy and political capital to building the APC in Kwara State have been alienated, marginalised or deliberately excluded from meaningful participation in both government and party affairs.”

“The result has been a steady weakening of the APC’s political strength in the state and a troubling resurgence of opposition elements. The support base of our party has been significantly diminished.”

“In our firm assessment, Governor AbdulRazaq has lost the moral and political authority to determine the future of the APC in Kwara State. 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 note.

They warn that “in order to avert further damage and forestall a deeper crisis,” the president must conduct a sober and critical review of developments in Kwara State, including the circumstances surrounding the announcement of results for primaries that allegedly did not hold, and intervene to safeguard the party’s survival.

The group also urges President Tinubu to carefully examine the records, capacities, loyalty and statewide acceptability of the aspirants, with the aim of making a decisive and unifying choice among the governorship candidates.

“We are confident that among us is a leader capable of providing fresh direction, restoring internal unity, rebuilding stakeholders’ confidence, strengthening the APC’s support base and working closely with Your Excellency as a reliable partner at the sub‑national level,” they conclude.