Kwara APC holds peaceful HoA elections
* As APC Chairman charges guber aspirants ahead of primaries
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State on Wednesday held a peaceful primaries for the 24 State House of Assembly constituencies.
The elections, which were held through a direct method, saw party leaders, stakeholders and other faithful at different wards across the 193 political wards in Kwara State participating in the exercise.
The Chairman of the APC House of Assembly Primary Election Committee in Kwara, Dr Alkhali Alibe, said he was impressed with the peaceful conduct of the exercise across places visited in different places, including outside the state capital.
“It has been generally peaceful. The exercise is peaceful and orderly. So far, so good. It has been satisfactorily okay.
“The turnout and peaceful conduct of the primary elections is an indication that we are leading to victory in 2027,” Dr Alibe noted.
Speaking with newsmen at the party’s secretariat, the State Chairman of APC, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, called on all aspirants in tomorrow’s governorship primaries and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and in an orderly manner throughout the exercise.
“The race is thrown open for everybody. That is why we have huge number of aspirants. We shall give all the aspirants a level playing field.
“All our contestants are lovers of Kwara. They are very matured contestants. They know that only one person will emerge at the end of the contest. They are all qualified. We will support whoever wins the primary as a party. Kwara is bigger than any of their ambition. We must maintain the peace and unity.
“Kwara has come of age. Kwara has changed under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq across different sectors. We have foundation to build upon,” he added.
At Magaji Ngeri Ward in Ilorin West LGA, a Chieftain of APC Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, praised members of the party for coming out en mass to participate in the primaries.
“The turnout is an indication that APC is a popular party. It only in parties that are not popular that people will not come out to contest and use the party as a platform. In a popular party, you will see activities. Magaji Ngeri Central Ward is for APC and Ilorin Central State Constituency is for APC and indeed, Kwara State is for All Progressives Congress.
Alhaji Galadima who was a former presidential candidate of ACPN said the overwhelming support for the party is an indication that all candidates of APC will win in 2027, commending for his ingenuity in transforming the economy.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has performed uncommon leadership by taking touch decisions to transform the country. With the way Nigeria was governed in the past, the country was at the verge of precipice. Tinubu inherited a totally collapsed economy and he has turned things around,” he said.
For his part, Chairman APC Balogun Gambari Ward 2 in Ilorin East LGA, Baba Gobir Abdullahi, said the primary was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere without any rancour in his ward.
“APC is a party of unity, love and peace. We have demonstrated that here today. It was a peaceful and orderly process here. No rancour, no acrimony,” Gobir said.
Abdullahi who is the chairman of 193 ward chairmen of APC in the state thanked Governor AbdulRazaq for endorsing Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor.
“APC is a party which rewards loyalty. Once your loyalty is well established and not doubt, you will be counted as a real party man. That was what happened yesterday with the endorsement of Amb. Yahaya Seriki. We thank His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the endorsement of one our leaders in Ilorin East LGA. We are very happy with decision of His Excellency.
“Governor AbdulRazaq has made his consultations before the endorsement and we are all in support of the decision,” he added.
