Gov AbdulRazaq’s aide, APC chieftain warn against ‘imposition’, dynasty as Kwara APC crisis deepens

• Danladi unknown outside political circles, says Gov AbdulRazaq’s aide
• Kwara APC risks Zamfara-like scenario, warns party stakeholder

The cracks within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has further deepens as a top aide to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and a prominent party stakeholder separately raised concerns over the party’s succession process ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The two APC figures, Oloyin Lateef Adebayo, Principal Private Secretary to Governor AbdulRazaq, and Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, accused the Governor and party leadership of pursuing a process they said could trigger internal divisions and threaten the party’s electoral fortunes.

In a statement titled “2027 Kwara Governorship: The Danger of Building Another Political Dynasty in Kwara State,” Adebayo warned that any attempt to produce a successor through what he described as a predetermined arrangement would contradict the spirit of the 2019 “O To Ge” movement that brought the APC to power.

According to him, Kwarans rejected political domination and godfatherism in 2019 and would be uncomfortable with any process perceived as creating another political dynasty.

“As the 2027 governorship election approaches, there are growing concerns that the emergence of Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi as the APC governorship candidate may be perceived by many stakeholders as an attempt to institutionalise another form of political succession and establish a new political dynasty under the AbdulRazaq political structure,” he said.

Adebayo argued that the central question confronting the state was whether a people who rejected political domination in 2019 would now embrace a succession arrangement allegedly designed to perpetuate the influence of a single political structure.

He also questioned the statewide electoral appeal of Danladi, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, saying the lawmaker remained largely unknown to many voters outside political circles.

The governor’s aide further warned that a perception of imposition could alienate party members, weaken campaign morale, encourage defections and deepen divisions within the ruling party.

“The future of Kwara should not be determined by any family, individual, or political structure. It should be determined solely by the people of Kwara State,” Adebayo stated.

In a separate statement titled “APC Elders’ Revolt and the Risk of Repeating Zamfara 2019,” Oyin-Zubair said recent developments within the party had validated concerns earlier raised about the succession process.

The APC chieftain referenced the position of the Kwara APC Elders Caucus, which recently alleged that no valid governorship primary was conducted in the state.

According to him, the crisis worsened after Governor AbdulRazaq shifted support from Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki-Gambari to Danladi.

“What actually happened is that Mallam Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, as governor and party leader, initially presented Ambali Seriki as the preferred candidate. Many aspirants, including Speaker Yakubu Salihu Danladi, toed the line and embraced that choice,” Oyin-Zubair said.

He added that the governor’s subsequent decision to back Danladi had raised questions about the credibility of the process.

Oyin-Zubair warned that the situation bore similarities to the circumstances that led to the APC’s legal troubles in Zamfara State in 2019.

“We should have learned from Zamfara 2019 instead of repeating the same mistake,” he said.

He further claimed that the elders’ position that no valid primary was held could expose the party to legal challenges and weaken its chances in the next election.

“The elders have put it on record that the process is void,” he stated.

The APC stakeholder also cautioned that continued disagreements within the party could create an opportunity for opposition forces to regroup ahead of 2027.

“While APC is fighting itself, the opposition is not idle. The Saraki group, now joined by figures like Moshood Mustapha, is waiting for the fallout from this crisis,” he said.