Fresh tension has emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State after most governorship aspirants reportedly boycotted a consensus meeting convened by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq ahead of the party’s governorship primaries.
The development comes amid widening disagreements within the ruling party over the governor’s succession plans and the choice of a consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Sources familiar with the matter told The Nation newspaper that about 16 aspirants had obtained expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the APC governorship primaries scheduled for later this week.
However, most of the aspirants were absent from Thursday’s strategic meeting in Ilorin after suspecting that the gathering was intended to endorse a preferred candidate.
Only Mohammed Belgore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was said to have attended the meeting, forcing organisers to postpone further deliberations.
The latest development follows earlier signs of internal divisions within the Kwara APC, despite repeated calls by Governor AbdulRazaq for party unity.
On Wednesday, the governor had told APC House of Assembly aspirants that “all of you are winners,” while urging party members to support President Bola Tinubu and remain loyal to the APC regardless of the outcome of the primaries.
But behind the public message of unity, party insiders said disagreements over zoning, political calculations and control of the party structure have continued to deepen.
According to sources quoted by The Nation, President Tinubu is reportedly concerned that the Kwara governor has failed to build consensus among stakeholders and aspirants ahead of the primaries.
One source alleged that the governor had rejected at least two prominent aspirants earlier recommended by stakeholders in Abuja and Kwara because of his preference for a successor from the Kwara North Senatorial District.
“The governor’s initial preference was Speaker Danladi from Kwara North District, but the voting strength of the district is low,” the source reportedly said.
The source added that some party leaders later settled on former APC state chairman Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa from Kwara South, but the governor allegedly rejected that option due to strained political relations.
Attention was later said to have shifted to Kwara Central, where some stakeholders reportedly considered Senator Saliu Mustapha as a strong contender capable of confronting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
However, another source claimed that the governor also opposed that option and favoured businessman Yahaya Seriki instead.
According to the report, the governor recently travelled to France, where he met President Tinubu and discussed the succession process in Kwara.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported allegations published by SaharaReporters that the governor travelled to France amid worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara State.
The report alleged that the trip was linked to consultations over succession politics and efforts to secure presidential backing ahead of the 2027 elections.
A notice inviting governorship aspirants to Thursday’s meeting was reportedly signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Abdulwaheed Babatunde, on 13 May 2026.
The invitation described the session as a “strategic engagement ahead of upcoming party primaries” and directed aspirants to attend with one individual each.
But several aspirants reportedly declined to attend.
One aspirant told The PUNCH that the notice was too short and that some aspirants became suspicious after learning details of political consultations allegedly held in France.
Another aspirant alleged that local government chairmen and delegates were expected to participate in a process designed to endorse a preferred aspirant.
“We decided to watch it,” the source reportedly said.
Another source claimed that some aspirants believed additional governorship aspirants were sponsored into the race as part of a broader strategy to influence the outcome of the primaries.
The governorship dispute comes as another controversy rocks the APC in Kwara over the screening of House of Assembly aspirants.
Results released by the party’s screening committee showed that only 53 out of 158 aspirants seeking Assembly tickets were cleared to contest, while 105 were screened out.
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The screening outcome affected several serving lawmakers seeking re-election, particularly in the Kwara South Senatorial District.
Among those reportedly not cleared were Ganiyu Salahu of Omupo Constituency, Owolabi Rasaq of Share/Oke-Ode Constituency, Bamigboye Joseph, Omotosho Rasaq and Yusuf Gbenga.
In Kwara North, the suspended lawmaker representing Edu Constituency, Issa Gideon, was also screened out.
However, some lawmakers from Kwara Central and Kwara North reportedly scaled through the exercise, including Deputy Speaker Ojo Oyebode and lawmakers from Moro Local Government Area.
Speaking before the screening exercise, the chairman of the screening committee, Success Musa, reportedly described the large number of aspirants as evidence of the APC’s growing popularity in the state.
Political observers say the growing disputes within the ruling party could shape the political landscape in Kwara ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly as the PDP under Mr Saraki appears to be consolidating opposition support across the state.
