The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Kwara State, originally scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed to Friday, following a directive from the party’s national leadership. State party chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, confirmed the development, stating that a team from the national office arrived to instruct the rescheduling. While the exact reason for the cancellation was not disclosed, the party emphasized the need for a smooth and orderly process.
In a significant development, eight aspirants officially stepped down in favor of Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, the preferred successor of incumbent Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The decision came after strategic consultations held on Wednesday evening, where aspirants and key stakeholders agreed to support Seriki to ensure party unity and continuity of the governor’s policies. The aspirants who withdrew include Dr. Salako Oluwatoyin, Captain Ahmad Mahmoud, Professor Wale Sulaiman, Dr. Mohammed Bio, Dr. Toyin Alabi, Hajia Aisha Ahman Patigi, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yakubu Salihu Danladi.
The meeting concluded with a strong commitment to party cohesion, peaceful engagement, and a transparent primary process aimed at strengthening the APC’s position in Kwara State. Reports suggest that additional aspirants may also withdraw before the rescheduled election, further consolidating Seriki’s position as the front-runner.
Despite the postponement, party members across the state showed high enthusiasm for the electoral process. In the Kwara Central Senatorial District, voters, including physically challenged members, began queuing as early as 8:00 am. The actual voting commenced at noon across various polling units. At Gambari Ward II in Karumo, Ilorin East, Abubakar Gobir, a visually-impaired APC member from Sokoto State, expressed pride in exercising his civic right. His colleague, Rufai Yusuf, also from Sokoto, declared their support for Seriki, saying, “We are with our families to pay goodness with goodness, we are all here for Yahaya Seriki.”
In Ilorin West, the atmosphere favored Seriki as supporters chanted “sai Yahaya” in Adewole and Alananmu wards. Meanwhile, in Kwara South, Alhaji Adebayo Yakeen, known as Baba Blue, reported that his ward had already counted votes and sent results to state leadership, despite the absence of electoral officers. However, ward officers Mr. Busari Olaiya Lukman and Alhaji Mustapha (Leko) dismissed this claim, stating that the ward chairman had gone to the state secretariat to collect electoral materials.
The rescheduled primary is expected to proceed smoothly, with heightened anticipation as the party prepares for a decisive moment in its leadership transition. The outcome will likely shape the APC’s campaign strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections in Kwara State.
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