A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State, Uthman Alabi has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party could reclaim power in the state if the ruling APC fails to conduct credible and transparent primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Alabi, who spoke on Sunday in Ilorin on behalf of the Kwara South APC Opinion Leaders, said the party must avoid actions capable of weakening its internal structure and alienating loyal members ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The APC stakeholders also rejected what they described as attempts to secure a third-term Senate ticket for the Deputy Senate Leader of the 10th National Assembly, Senator Lola Ashiru, ahead of the party’s senatorial primary scheduled for Monday.
According to Alabi, the warning became necessary to protect internal democracy and preserve the party’s dominance in Kwara State.
He said, “Today, we speak as a committed APC group in Kwara South. We are united by one common objective: to ensure that the ongoing primary elections in our state are conducted in a free, fair, transparent, credible, and democratic manner that will strengthen our party ahead of the forthcoming general elections.”
He noted that the Senate primary remained critical to the unity and future stability of the APC in Kwara South and the state at large.
“The Senate primaries are, by the grace of God, another very important exercise taking place on Monday, 18th May 2026. As stakeholders who believe deeply in the unity, stability, and future victory of our great party, we consider it necessary to address the public at this critical moment.
“Our appeal today is simple, sincere, and patriotic: let the right things be done.”
Alabi warned that any attempt to impose unpopular candidates on party members could create cracks within the APC and provide opportunities for opposition parties to stage a comeback in the state.
“We respectfully call on all those entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the Senate primaries to ensure that no avoidable errors are made, errors that may later haunt our party and weaken our collective political future,” he said.
He added that Kwara South remained too politically strategic for the APC to toy with, noting that the district accounts for 83 out of the 193 wards in the state and seven of the 16 local government areas.
The stakeholders declared support for Dr Muheebat Dankaka as their preferred senatorial candidate, describing her as credible, experienced, and widely accepted across the district.
“We collectively, as members of Kwara South Senatorial District, raise our voices to make it known that Dr Muheebat Adenike Dankaka is the preferred candidate for the Senate in our district. She is a trusted and tested woman; her antecedents are top-notch,” Alabi stated.
“During her tenure as Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, she displayed a rare commitment to Kwara South.”
The group also took a swipe at the political record of the incumbent senator, questioning his decision to seek another term in office.
“We begin to wonder how people with no bearing and compassion for our children can have the audacity to want to contest for an elective position again after their abysmal failure in previous responsibilities,” he said.
The APC leaders insisted that where consensus arrangements fail, direct primaries should be adopted in line with the party’s constitution and democratic principles.
“As clearly stated by the National Chairman of our great party, wherever there is no consensus candidate, there must be direct primaries.
“This position also aligns perfectly with the democratic principles repeatedly emphasized by our President. Transparency must prevail within the party structure,” Alabi added.
He stressed that the APC’s survival in 2027 would depend largely on presenting candidates with strong grassroots appeal and public acceptance.
“What APC needs ahead of the next general elections is a candidate with proven antecedents, grassroots acceptance, loved and trusted by the people, and whose popularity can naturally translate into victory at the polls,” he said.
The group, however, commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for what it described as bold reforms and infrastructural efforts aimed at repositioning the country.
“Our President has demonstrated courage, patriotism, bold leadership, and commitment to national development through his policies, reforms, and infrastructural drive aimed at rebuilding and repositioning Nigeria,” the stakeholders said.
The PUNCH reports that the Senate primary is expected to hold amid heightened political tension within the Kwara South APC, with consultations and alignments intensifying among party stakeholders ahead of the exercise.
Ashiru had earlier declared interest in the 2027 governorship race in Kwara State before returning to seek re-election to the Senate, a development that has further deepened divisions within the party.
He formally declared his governorship ambition on February 9, 2026, and later unveiled his policy direction in April 2026 before re-entering the senatorial contest.
The development has sparked disagreements among APC stakeholders, with divisions also emerging within his political base in Offa ahead of the primaries.
