2027: APC Elders Back Kwara Guber Candidate Danladi
*Assures Tinubu of landslide victory
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Members of the Elders Caucus of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kwara State have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Engr. Yakubu Danladi- Salihu.
The APC elders, at a crowded press conference on Monday in Ilorin, the state capital, assured President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC that Danladi- Salihu enjoyed the popular support of the people of the State, especially the youths.
The forum was reacting to the earlier press conference held by the Chief James Bamisaiye- led APC Elders Caucus where they condemned the choice of Danladi-Salihu as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.
They said that the APC candidate does not represent the strongest political option available to the party to win the next year gubernatorial race.
The elders warned that unless President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the party wade into the raging crisis that had emerged from the Danladi- Salihu’s candidacy, the party may lose Kwara State to the opposition.
But, the APC Elders Caucus at a press conference addressed by the State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda Ambassadors, Hon. AbdulLateef Gidado Alakawa said: “To Say the least, those who addressed that conference are interlopers who are not recognised by the APC structure in the State.
“We shouldn’t have dignified the claims of these interlopers who called themselves elders of our great party, the APC by this response, but there’s is the need to put a lie to their fathom claims.
“The general public is aware of the fact that our party held its primaries for all the elective offices, including the governorship ticket in a peaceful atmosphere. The results of the governorship primary was announced by the Chairman of the panel that was sent from Abuja to conduct the exercise, Hon. Musiliu Obanikoro in the presence of all loyal party members at the Banquet Hall along Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin.
“The governorship primary that was held on 22nd May 2026 produced the incumbent speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu DanladiSalihu as winner. Since that time, none of the other gubernatorial aspirant has raised a complaint on the outcome of the exercise. And as a team player, the APC gubernatorial candidate has since extended the hands of fellowship to his cocontestants.
“Not only this, Hon. Danladi has embarked on a tour of the residences of key stakeholders in the affairs of our dear state, including our traditional rulers, who have all blessed him, assured him of their support and prayed for his victory at the poll come 2027.
“The credentials of Danladi – Salihu are in public domain. Apart from being an engineer, he has garnered enough political experience as the state’s number three citizen in the last seven years. Our candidate is also a youth who enjoys the support of mammoth youths population.
“On the so-called elders disparaging comments on our leader, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, we want to clarify that the governor did not imose any gubernatorial candidates on the party. The governor allowed a free contest in the gubernatorial primary while he was not also directly in charge of the conduct of the exercise. He as a democrat only accepted the outcome of the exercise which was adjudged peaceful, free and fair by those that supervised it.
“Declaring the result of the gubernatorial primary, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Supervisory Committee of Kwara State Governorship Primary, Senator Musliu Obanikoro said DanladiSalihu scored 94,990 votes to beat other cight aspirants that participated in the exercise.
“We recall that key contenders, including Amb. Yahaya Seriki, had earlier mobiiised support for DanladiSalihu in a show of solidarity. All the five local government areas in the North returned more than 90% of their votes in favour of the DanladiSalihu, while he also led comfortably across the two other senatorial districts. In Southern District, Offa, Oyun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Isin, Oke Ero, and Ifelodun stood firmly behind the choice of the Speaker, underscoring his strong support base across the state.
“The above illustration showed that Danladi – Salihu won the gubernatorial primary convincingly. What we expected of the socalled elders is to join hands with our governor and other stakeholders to ensure the victory of our governorship candidate and all other candidates of the APC at the poll.
“The conduct of these elders have shown that their not patriotic member of the APC and do not mean well for our dear Kwara State. We hold the opinion that every well meaning party man will pray for a successor who will continue the good work of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. ”
“We want to assure His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu that Kwara is APC state and in shaa Allahu, the governor and all other genuine stakeholders will deliver the state, once again to the APC come 2027. ”
Alakawa was flanked by the Coordinator of the Kwara Central APC Elders Caucus, Alhaji Razaq Lawal and a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Usman Bibire Ajape, amongst others.
