Kwara APC, PDP youth groups canvass zoning of governorship seat
Ahead of 2027 general election, an All Progressives Congress (APC) group under the aegis of Kwara Youth Progressive Alliance (KYPA) yesterday advanced reasons why the next governor of the state
- From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin
Ahead of 2027 general election, an All Progressives Congress (APC) group under the aegis of Kwara Youth Progressive Alliance (KYPA) yesterday advanced reasons why the next governor of the state should emerge from Kwara North.
Also a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group known as Kwara Elite Advocate (KEAGG) for Good Governance has canvassed for an Ilorin South governor.
Addressing reporters separately in Ilorin, state Coordinator, KYPA, Hauwa Manko, said her group’s request “must be done, not out of charity or sympathy, but due to the need to reflect the progressive ideology of our party, which places priority on equity and fairness in our leadership recruitment process.”
She added: “In the last five months, we have reached out to leaders of the party at the grassroots, consulted with party elders and other stakeholders, engaged with several support groups and solicited the opinion of ‘Kwarans’ in the diaspora through mailed survey.
“The general feedback from our consultations is that the APC in Kwara State carries the moral burden to heal the wound of long years of denial of leadership opportunity at the highest level of executive power, which Kwara North has suffered.
“However, majority of the people we consulted did not support that we sacrifice competence for zoning. This is why we are not here just to canvass for zoning of the governorship ticket of APC to Kwara North, but to also call on Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (3SU) to come out and declare his interest to run for the governor of Kwara State in 2027.
“While many have emphasised the need for competence, we must place on record that zoning the APC ticket to Kwara North will only be an added advantage for 3SU.
“We believe by his track record, he is as competent as any other aspirant from any other part of Kwara State.’’
Secretary of KEAFGG Ahmed Bolaji called for the zoning of the party’s 2027 governorship ticket to Ilorin South Local Government.
He cited the need for equity, justice and fairness.
He said a review of the PDP’s political history in the state since 1999 showed a pattern in the distribution of its governorship ticket across parts of Kwara.
The group said former governor Mohammed Lawal from Ilorin East, alongside the administrations of Bukola Saraki from Ilorin West and Abdulfatah Ahmed from Ifelodun, reflected efforts at balancing political representation within the party.
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Bolaji noted that in 2019, the PDP zoned its governorship ticket to Asa Local Government as part of efforts to promote inclusiveness and broaden participation within its ranks.
However, the group expressed concern that Ilorin South Local Government was yet to produce a PDP governorship candidate, despite its electoral strength and loyalty to the party.
“It is therefore just and necessary that the PDP zones its 2027 governorship ticket to Ilorin South Local Government Area,” the statement said.
