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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State held a rally in Ilorin on Sunday to mark the successful conclusion of its primaries and to canvass support for President Bola Tinubu and the party’s candidates in the state.
Dubbed the ‘Kwara Ndupe Rally’, the event saw thousands of party faithful march along the major roads of the metropolis, from Queen Elizabeth School through Surulere, Oja-Oba, and Post Office, to the party’s secretariat in the GRA.
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Addressing the rally, the Leader of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Oba Abdulkadri, expressed his satisfaction with the large turnout, describing it as evidence of the unity within the APC.
“We are very happy. As you can see, everyone is in a joyous mood,” he said. Regarding the party’s future in the state, Mr Abdulkadri maintained that the APC remained firmly positioned to retain its dominance: “The future in Kwara State is APC from top to bottom, by the grace of Allah. The future is very bright. We are not afraid. We will continue to remain united and work together for the progress of the party and the state.”
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The Senior Adviser and Counsellor to the Governor, Sa’adu Salau, stated that the party was prepared for issue-based campaigns and door-to-door mobilisation. He charged members to remain resolute and committed to ensuring electoral victory in the general elections. “This rally must translate to PVC collection, voter registration, and polling-unit victory in February 2027. There must not be complacency,” he said. “We will campaign on our record, not insults, because our party has a track record of road networks, schools, hospitals, and regular payment of salaries to show Kwarans. The opposition has nothing.”
The state chairman of the APC, Sunday Fagbemi, said he was impressed by the massive turnout and expressed hope that the party would coast to victory in 2027. “With what I have seen here, it is fair to say that all our candidates are in. More people are still coming to join our party,” the Chairman remarked. Mr Fagbemi, who spoke through the Deputy Chairman, Abdullahi Samari, urged aggrieved members to allow the party to address their grievances.
The state coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Abdulateef Alakawa, described the rally as a demonstration of unity and appreciation. Mr Alakawa noted that the emergence of candidates for various elective positions reflected the will of party members through the direct primary election process. He added that the rally served as a rehearsal for the 2027 general elections and an opportunity to reaffirm the loyalty of Kwara APC members to President Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
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“Power belongs to the people, and the people have spoken through the direct primary elections. We are grateful to God that the primaries were peaceful and successful, with our candidates emerging across the various positions,” Mr Alakawa said.
The APC candidate for the Kwara North Senatorial District, Ahmad Muhammad, thanked party members and the people of Kwara North for the confidence reposed in him during the primaries. He also extended his gratitude to President Tinubu and Governor AbdulRazaq for their leadership and support, particularly the decision to zone the governorship ticket to Kwara North. Mr Muhammad said the gesture reflected fairness and inclusiveness within the party, adding that the APC remained well-positioned to retain power in the state in 2027. “We appreciate the people of Kwara State for allowing Kwara North to produce the next governor. Today’s rally demonstrates the confidence and support the people have for the leadership of Governor AbdulRazaq and the APC,” he said. Expressing confidence in the party’s electoral prospects, Mr Muhammad added: “We are confident of victory. APC has continued to enjoy the support of the people, and we believe that will be sustained.”
The APC candidate for the Kwara South Senatorial District, Olalekan Adewoye, also expressed his gratitude to party leaders and members for finding him worthy to fly the party’s flag. Mr Adewoye described the APC as one united family, stressing that the outcome of the primaries reflected the collective decision of party members. “I am grateful to God and to the leadership of our party for the confidence reposed in me. Without their support, this would not have been possible,” he said.
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In his remarks, the APC candidate for the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the large turnout at the rally attested to the fact that the APC was the party to beat.
“I feel great, excited, and grateful to the leaders and the structure of our party – starting from the President, His Excellency, the Governor of Kwara State, and all our leaders and party members across the three senatorial districts,” Mr Ajakaye said.
“The crowd here is a testament to the fact that the APC is the party to beat. The election is ours to lose. We have won the elections before. The results were so overwhelming. This rally is organic enough.”
He continued: “You can see the support and the excitement. We are indeed grateful to the party faithful and, indeed, members of the public who also joined us during the rally.”
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