Kwara APC Stakeholders Call on Governor to Overturn Reps Candidate Selection

Prominent members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State have appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to step in and reverse the party’s decision on its candidate for the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke‑Ero Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The appeal was made in an open letter addressed to the governor and shared with Punch in Ilorin on Thursday. The letter, titled “A Passionate Appeal to Reconsider the APC Choice of Candidacy for Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke‑Ero Federal Constituency for the 2027 General Elections,” bears the signatures of APC leaders and council officials from the two local government areas.

Signatories include Elder Ajibola Ayoola, APC Chairman for Ekiti LGA; James Kayode Bamidele, APC Chairman for Oke‑Ero LGA; Awelewa Olawale, Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Council; Kayode Towoju, Oke‑Ero APC leader; and O.J. Adeseko, a senior APC chieftain.

In the letter, the stakeholders expressed deep concern over what they described as a breach of justice, equity and internal democracy within the party. They pointed out that the candidate ultimately announced by the APC did not win the primary election held on 16 May 2026.

Attached to the petition was a copy of the purported primary‑election result. According to that document, Abolarin Ganiyu received 17,128 votes, securing first place, while the incumbent member, Raheem Tunji Olawuyi (popularly known as Ajuloopin), garnered only 2,978 votes.

The petitioners argued that it is ironic for the person who polled the lowest votes and finished sixth in the primary to be declared the party’s nominee. They warned that retaining Olawuyi would prolong a longstanding political imbalance in the constituency.

They noted that since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, every representative from the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke‑Ero federal constituency in the House of Representatives has hailed from either Irepodun or Isin LGAs. Former lawmakers listed include Bashir Bola Oni, Peter Gbenga Makanjuola, Akeem Olayinka Hakeem, the late Olufunke Adedoyin, and the current incumbent, Olawuyi.

The stakeholders highlighted that despite Ekiti and Oke‑Ero LGAs together controlling 20 of the constituency’s 42 wards, no indigene from these areas has ever held the seat. They added that Irepodun LGA alone has produced the federal lawmaker for roughly 26 years, while Omu‑Aran, with just three wards, has held the position for nearly 24 years.

Concluding their plea, the stakeholders urged Governor AbdulRazaq to liaise with the national leadership of the APC, review the decision, and restore the nomination to Abolarin Ganiyu, whom they maintain is the authentic winner of the primary election. They believe such a move would reinforce confidence in the party’s internal democratic processes and promote inclusivity across the constituency.