‘Tinubu, Mustapha APC ticket good for Kwara’

The Ilorin Emirate Political Advisory Council has expressed confidence in the ability of the All Progressives Congress to retain power in Kwara State during the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu and Senator Saliu Mustapha emerge as candidates of the ruling party.

The National Secretary of the council Lt. Col. Abubakar Edun (retd.) stated this during an interview with journalists on Thursday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Edun who disclosed that President Tinubu continues to enjoy considerable support across the three senatorial districts of the state,

stressed that his candidacy would significantly boost the electoral fortunes of APC, particularly in the National Assembly polls.

“What the president has done for Kwara State in the last three years, there is hardly anyone else that has done the same for the state before in history,” he said.

He noted that the Tinubu administration had brought unprecedented federal recognition to Kwara through strategic appointments given to qualified indigenes of the state.

According to him, such appointments have further strengthened public confidence in the APC-led federal government and deepened support for the party in the state.

Among those he listed were the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AbdulLateef Fagbemi; the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari; Director-General of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation, Biodun Ajiboye; and board member of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun.

Edun also referenced appointments into agencies such as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, the National Health Insurance Authority, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, and the National Intelligence Agency.

He further argued that Senator Mustapha’s popularity and political reach in Kwara Central would place the APC in a stronger position ahead of the elections.

“If President Tinubu and Senator Saliu Mustapha are both on the ballot in 2027, the APC will campaign from a position of strength because the people can easily identify with their contributions and leadership,” Edun said.

He maintained that the ruling party’s chances of victory in the state would depend largely on maintaining internal cohesion and presenting candidates with proven political appeal and grassroots acceptance.

Meanwhile, the political dynamics within the Kwara APC have continued to intensify ahead of the 2027 polls, with the state recording the highest number of governorship aspirants—about 16 contenders, raising concerns about possible internal friction.

Senator Saliu Mustapha has already formally submitted his expression of interest form to join the governorship race, further heightening competition within the party.

Notably, popular businessman Yahaya Seriki and Mustapha have been at the centre of conversations around a possible consensus arrangement ahead of the party primaries.

In a related development, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been screened to contest for the Kwara Central Senatorial seat in 2027, indicating a potential transition from the Government House to the National Assembly.

However, party stakeholders have continued to push for unity, with APC leaders in the state advocating a consensus-driven approach to candidate selection in order to prevent internal divisions ahead of the general elections, despite the high number of aspirants across various positions.