By Peter Omopo
A group of elders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has reaffirmed its support for the party’s governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, describing him as the most popular aspirant in the race and insisting that he emerged through a credible and transparent primary election process.
The stakeholders, drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, made their position known during a press conference in Ilorin, where they dismissed criticisms and allegations surrounding the conduct of the party’s governorship primary.
Led by the Chairman of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Mallam Lateef Gidado Alakawa, the group said the May 22, 2026 governorship primary was conducted peacefully and in accordance with the guidelines of the party.
According to the elders, the exercise was supervised by a committee headed by former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who was appointed by the national leadership of the APC to oversee the election.
Alakawa noted that the results were announced publicly at the Banquet Hall along Ahmadu Bello Way in Ilorin, where Danladi-Salihu emerged victorious after polling the highest number of votes among the nine aspirants that contested the ticket.
“The governorship primary was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere and produced the incumbent Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the winner,” he said.
The stakeholders observed that none of the defeated aspirants formally challenged the outcome of the primary election, adding that the APC candidate had since reached out to fellow contestants as part of efforts to foster unity and reconciliation within the party.
They further disclosed that Danladi-Salihu had embarked on consultations with key political stakeholders and traditional rulers across the state, receiving support and blessings ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The elders described the APC candidate as a youthful and experienced leader whose years as Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly have equipped him with the skills required to lead the state effectively.
They highlighted his engineering background, leadership experience and strong grassroots support, particularly among young people across the state.
“Danladi-Salihu enjoys tremendous support among the youth and has demonstrated leadership capacity over the years. His credentials and achievements are well known to the people of Kwara State,” the group stated.
The stakeholders also dismissed claims that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq imposed the party’s candidate, insisting that the governor merely accepted the outcome of a process widely adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
According to them, Senator Obanikoro announced that Danladi-Salihu secured 94,990 votes to defeat eight other aspirants, a result they said reflected his widespread popularity and acceptance across the three senatorial districts of the state.
They noted that the APC candidate recorded impressive results across the state and received significant support from influential party leaders and stakeholders during the primary election.
The group therefore called on aggrieved party members to put aside their differences and unite behind Danladi-Salihu in the interest of the party’s success in the 2027 general election.
The elders also expressed confidence in the leadership of Governor AbdulRazaq, describing him as an inclusive and responsive leader who has continued to strengthen party unity and governance in the state.
Reaffirming their loyalty to the APC, the stakeholders assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that Kwara State would remain a stronghold of the ruling party and pledged to work towards securing victory for the APC in the 2027 elections.
“We want to assure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that Kwara remains an APC state and that the party will once again record victory in the 2027 general elections,” the group stated.
