APC delays Kwara state gubernatorial election preliminary round

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rescheduled the Kwara governorship primary election for Friday, as confirmed by the state APC Chairman, Mr Sunday Fagbemi, in Ilorin during Thursday’s ongoing primary election.

n

According to Fagbemi, the national leadership of the party issued a directive to postpone the exercise, without providing any reason for the decision, with the state chairman stating that the team from the national office instructed that the election should be held the following day.

n

A strategic meeting held on Wednesday evening with Amb. Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki and other stakeholders in the state led to a decision by eight governorship aspirants to step down and support Seriki, the preferred successor of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Thursday.

n

The aspirants who declared their support for Seriki include Dr Salako Oluwatoyin, Capt. Ahmad Mahmoud, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, Dr Mohammed Bio, Dr Toyin Alabi, and Hajiya Aisha Patigi, as well as Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe and the Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.

n

The meeting concluded with a commitment to party unity, peaceful conduct of the primary, and continuity of the AbdulRazaq administration’s programmes, according to reports.

n

Party members, including physically challenged persons, gathered across the Kwara Central Senatorial District for the exercise as early as 8 a.m., with voting commencing around noon, demonstrating their enthusiasm for the primary election.

n

At Gambari Ward II, Karumo in Ilorin East Local Government Area, a visually impaired APC member, Abubakar Gobir, expressed his desire to exercise his civic rights, while another visually impaired member, Rufai Yusuf, attended the exercise with his family in support of Seriki.

n

In Ilorin West Local Government Area, supporters of Seriki were seen chanting solidarity slogans in support of the aspirant at Adewole and Alanamu Wards, showcasing their dedication to his campaign.

n

In Kwara South, an APC member, Alhaji Adebayo Yakeen, popularly known as Baba Blue, alleged that electoral officers were absent at Ganmo/Idofian ward during the exercise, claiming that party members had to organise themselves and count votes.

n

However, Busari Lukman, also known as Leko, disputed this claim, stating that the ward chairman had only gone to the state secretariat to collect electoral materials, providing an alternative explanation for the situation at the ward.