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A group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara North Senatorial District has endorsed Bashir Bolarinwa as the governorship candidate of the party for the 2027 election in the state.
The caucus coordinator, Lukman Sabi-Musa, disclosed this at a news conference on Wednesday in Ilorin.
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During the conference attended by some chieftains of the party in the area, the group also endorsed the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The group includes representatives from Edu, Patigi, Moro, Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas of the state.
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NAN also reports that Mr Bolarinwa, endorsed by the group, is from the Kwara South Senatorial District. The current governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is from Ilorin West Local Government Area, which is in Kwara Central Senatorial District.
Proponents of power shift in the state want power to either move to Kwara South or North.
Speaking at the event, Mr Sabi-Musa said the group dissociated itself from a recent press statement purportedly claiming that the party’s governorship candidate must emerge from the Kwara North.
“While we reaffirm our legitimate aspiration to see a governorship candidate emerge from Kwara North, we strongly emphasise that such ambition must not come at the expense of competence, independence, and the genuine capacity to deliver meaningful development,” he said.
Mr Sabi-Musa stressed that the ultimate objective of governance is not merely to produce a governor by origin but to secure purposeful leadership that would uplift the region and the entire state.
According to him, it is deeply concerning to contemplate the emergence of a leadership evidently constrained and lacking the independence to make decisive contributions or deliver impactful governance.
“Kwara North has, over the years, produced representatives across various levels of government – from the State Assembly to the National Assembly,” he said.
He pointed out that, with nearly eight years of continuous representation in some quarters, the developmental impact in the region had remained a legitimate concern.
The coordinator alleged that the objective of the proponent of the Kwara North governorship zoning is to secure the APC ticket for the North through lobbying at both state and federal levels.
He also alleged that in pursuit of that, they coerced stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders, into attending the rally by leveraging the power of the state machinery against the people’s will.
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“We firmly believe that governance and political leadership must transcend ethnic, tribal, or sectional considerations.
“The focus must be on capacity, competence, credibility, and proven antecedents. These are qualities that cannot only win an election but also guarantee inclusive governance and equitable development across all regions of Kwara,” he said.
The coordinator stated that the caucus is aligning with Mr Bolarinwa because of his antecedents as “a leader of proven integrity, administrative competence, and unifying capacity”.
“His extensive experience across legislative and executive roles, coupled with his demonstrated ability to lead and deliver, is our driving force.
“These qualities, notably displayed during the historic O to Ge Revolution, positioned him as a credible and formidable candidate.
“We reject in totality any narrative that seeks to diminish our voice or portray us as passive stakeholders,” he said.
Mr Sabi-Musa described the people of Kwara North as resolute, informed, and committed to a future where the dividends of democracy are tangible and evenly distributed.
(NAN)
