Kwara lawmakers call for reassessment of APC nomination process, party unity effort

Fresh divisions have surfaced within the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, prompting the state's three senators to demand a review of the party's recent primary elections and the formation of a reconciliation committee to address mounting grievances among members.

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The lawmakers, operating under the Kwara APC Senate Caucus banner, voiced concerns over the party's dwindling cohesion and the controversy surrounding the recently concluded primaries for governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly seats.

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In a communiqué issued on Tuesday, following a joint session, Senators Saliu Mustapha, Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, and Sadiq Umar stated that the party is navigating a critical period that necessitates immediate intervention.

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The senators decried the exclusion of legitimate stakeholders from key decision-making processes within the party, which they believe has led to widespread discontent among members.

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The Kwara APC Senate Caucus noted that the party's cohesion has been eroded, with legitimate stakeholders being excluded from critical decision-making, resulting in grievances where consensus should exist.

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The lawmakers also criticized the conduct and outcome of the recent primaries, particularly the screening exercise for State House of Assembly aspirants, which they claim has generated unnecessary controversy.

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Approximately 70 per cent of sitting lawmakers were unable to clear the screening exercise for the State House of Assembly, an outcome that the senators argue cannot be reconciled with the principles of merit, fairness, and institutional memory.

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The senators urged the state leadership of the APC and the National Working Committee to establish a high-level reconciliation committee with a 30-day mandate to reintegrate aggrieved and marginalized members.

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The caucus also called for a review of the screening and primary outcomes affecting experienced lawmakers and other aspirants, emphasizing the need for due regard to proven capacity and demonstrated service.

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Beyond the party's internal crisis, the lawmakers expressed concern over the worsening insecurity in parts of the state, where rural banditry and kidnappings are threatening agricultural activities and exacerbating food inflation.

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The senators recommended a comprehensive review of party structures across the state's 193 wards and 16 local government areas to strengthen grassroots mobilization and restore discipline within the party.

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A comprehensive audit, they suggested, must be undertaken across Kwara's 193 wards and 16 local government areas to rebuild grassroots vitality, restore discipline, and shield the state's youth from vulnerability to criminal recruitment.

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The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to governance and service delivery, stressing the need for unity as the APC prepares for future elections and emphasizing that this is a moment that calls for patriotism above factionalism.

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The senators pledged their support for any reconciliation process capable of preserving the integrity of the party and safeguarding its electoral fortunes in the state, emphasizing that the Kwara APC must emerge from this period stronger, broader, and more united.

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The intervention comes amid a deepening crisis in the Kwara APC, which began during the screening of State House of Assembly aspirants, when over 100 aspirants were disqualified, prompting protests and allegations of candidate imposition.

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Following pressure from aggrieved members, the party later reversed the decision and cleared all 159 legislative aspirants to participate in the primaries, but the crisis persisted and eventually extended to the governorship contest.

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Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, emerged winner of the APC governorship primary on May 22, 2026, defeating 14 other aspirants, but his victory was met with opposition from a group of governorship aspirants under the banner of the G10.

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The G10 rejected the outcome, alleging irregularities and questioning the legitimacy of Danladi-Salihu's candidacy, a stance later echoed by the Kwara APC Elders' Caucus, which accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of influencing the primary.