By Akinwale Kasali
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has several hurdles to scale through if he is to pick his successor to emerge as the, All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate in 2027.
Though, the power of incumbency favours him, but no fewer than 16 Aspirants are jostling for the Governorship ticket of the APC in Kwara 2027 race.
Even though the Aspirants spread across the three Senatorial Districts of the State, the onus, however, falls on the APC leadership to zone the Governorship ticket amidst agitation from Kwara North Senatorial District, who have alleged marginalisation of the Zone.
The APC leadership has been mute on this development, neither has the Party spoken on zoning, but, many political observers are of the opinion that for Governor Abdulrahman to successfully pick a successor and for the anointed successor to get the ticket will be a herculean task, as some heavyweights in Kwara State political enclaves have shown interest to succeed Governor Abdulrahman.
The APC Governorship Aspirants include three serving Senators from the State; Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central), Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) and Sadiq Umar (Kwara North).
It was also gathered that the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, former Kwara APC Chairman, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, and two term Campaign DG of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Amb Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki and a Chartered Accountant, Alhaji Tajudeen Audu are also aspiring to get the ruling Party’s ticket to contest Kwara 2027 Governorship Election.
Five serving appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have indicated interest in the Gubernatorial race.
The Appointees are the Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies; Prof Abubakar Suleiman, Director General, National Orientation Agency; Mallam Lanre-Issa Onilu; the Chairman, Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, Prof Wale Sulaiman; the Chairman Governing Board of National Health Insurance Authority, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe and Non-Executive Commissioner for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Engr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola.
New entrants in the Kwara Governorship race include Canadian based Geologist, Abdulmujib Olaniyi; Global President of Offa Descendants Union, Alhaji Azeez Salako; former Kwara PDP Youth Leader, Prince Haliru Mahmud Dantsoho and Engr. Ahmed Baba, are others aspirants for the Governorship Race in Kwara State.
The influx of the lightweights and heavyweights have made the Governorship Race more interesting, with all eyes on the APC leadership on who gets the ticket.
There has, however, been alignment and realignment among the aspirants, as some of them are weighing their chances, resorting to pitching their tents and aligning with aspirants that have more political prospects, clout, supporters and wherewithal to get the ticket.
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