Kwara APC Elders Split Over Yakubu Danladi’s 2027 Governorship Bid
Senior members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State have openly disagreed about the emergence of Yakubu Salihu Danladi as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election. The dispute has laid bare growing fissures within the ruling party as the next election approaches.
Concerns Raised by One Elder Caucus
A group led by APC state chairman Chief James Bamisaiye Ayeni said it spoke out only after exhausting internal party channels. Joining Ayeni were Senators Mohammed Ahmed and Makanju Ajadi, former Attorney General Salman Jawondo (SAN), and other prominent elders.
According to the caucus, Danladi lacks the statewide appeal, acceptability, and political strength needed to unite the party and counter a resurgent opposition. They argued that his emergence does not represent the strongest option for APC at this critical juncture.
The elders stressed that their stance is rooted in electoral concerns, not personal grievances. They also accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of failing to give President Bola Tinubu and the APC national leadership an accurate picture of the state’s political realities.
The group warned that the party’s future should not be hostage to personal ambition or ego, urging Tinubu, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the National Working Committee to review the circumstances surrounding Danladi’s nomination.
Opposing Caucus Defends Danladi’s Candidature
A rival faction of Kwara APC elders rejected the criticisms and declared full support for Danladi. This group includes senior government officials such as the Governor’s Senior Adviser Sa’adu Salaudeen, Media Adviser Bashir Adigun, other aides, and members of the State House of Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Abdullateef Gidado Alakawa, Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda Ambassadors, dismissed the opposing caucus as “interlopers” lacking authority to speak for the party. He maintained that the recognised party structure had validated the governorship primary and that attempts to undermine it would not succeed.
Alakawa added that Danladi’s emergence followed due process and remains acceptable to those who participated in the internal democratic exercise. He urged party members to ignore what he described as attempts to sow unnecessary tension.
Implications for the 2027 Election
The disagreement surfaces as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 general elections. Danladi, a former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, is being promoted by his supporters as the candidate best suited to retain APC control of the state.
Public opposition from a segment of elders has raised fresh questions about internal cohesion and the level of consensus around his candidature. Both sides, however, insist their positions are aimed at safeguarding the party’s interests in the forthcoming governorship contest.
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