Ten Kwara APC Aspirants Petition Tinubu, Accuse AbdulRazaq Of Losing Grip

Ten governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State have petitioned President Bola Tinubu over what they described as a deepening crisis in the party.

The aspirants alleged that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had “lost moral and political authority” to determine the future of the APC in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.

The petition, issued on Friday and addressed to Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, warned that the party risked further division without urgent national intervention.

The signatories include Dr Oluwatoyin Tajudeen Alabi, Capt Ahmad Mahmud, Alhaji Tajudeen Audu, Dr Azeez Salako Muideen Olaniyi, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki Gambari, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Dr Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, Hon Omar Muhammed Bio, Dele Belgore, SAN, and Senator Yahaya Ibrahim Oloriegbe.

The aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to Tinubu and his administration.

“We, the undersigned governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State, write to convey our warm felicitations to Your Excellency on the occasion of the third anniversary of your administration.

“As committed members of our great party, we remain steadfast in our support for your leadership and resolute in our loyalty to your administration,” they said.

They also pledged support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

“We reaffirm our total allegiance to Your Excellency and our unreserved support for your re-election in 2027. We are convinced that the Renewed Hope Agenda remains the surest path to unlocking Nigeria’s vast potential,” they added.

Aspirants Fault Party Leadership

The group said the 2019 “Otoge” movement that brought the APC to power in Kwara was a collective effort, not the work of one individual.

“Regrettably, the gains of that collective sacrifice have not been consolidated… Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has, in our considered view, failed to provide the inclusive, broad-based, and unifying leadership required to sustain the coalition that brought our party to power,” they stated.

They alleged that key stakeholders had been alienated and excluded from party and government affairs.

The aspirants said the governor’s leadership style had weakened the APC’s grassroots base and encouraged opposition forces.

“In our firm assessment, Governor AbdulRazaq has lost the moral and political authority to determine the future of the APC in Kwara State.

“His popularity has declined markedly, and there is widespread apprehension among party members and stakeholders that any candidate associated with his endorsement may be seriously disadvantaged at the polls,” they said.

The aspirants urged Tinubu to review developments in the state, including alleged results of primaries they claimed had not been held.

They also asked the President to ensure a more inclusive and consensus-driven selection process.

“Should Your Excellency adopt such a course, we give our solemn assurance that we will rally behind any consensus candidate acceptable to Your Excellency and the party,” they stated.

They warned that if the crisis was not resolved, the APC’s chances in Kwara, including in the presidential election, could be affected.

Governor’s Aide Reacts

Reacting in a Facebook post, the Senior Special Assistant on Communication to Governor AbdulRazaq, Ibraheem Abdullateef, said Tinubu had already endorsed the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.

“President Bola Tinubu received Kwara Speaker SYD and endorsed his candidacy, like he did to others from other states. Asking him to reverse his decision is not the best possible position. It is time to jaw-jaw, not war-war again. It had to be one person,” he said.

He urged aggrieved members to embrace dialogue and work for the party’s victory in 2027.