AbdulRazaq backs Yahaya Seriki as preferred successor amid growing tensions within Kwara APC ahead of primaries
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has endorsed a businessman, Abdulfatai Seriki, as his preferred successor ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries scheduled for Thursday.
The endorsement comes amid growing internal disagreements within the Kwara APC over succession plans and efforts to produce a consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
In a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, Mr AbdulRazaq said the endorsement followed consultations with party leaders and stakeholders across the state.
“I am pleased to endorse Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki (MFR) as my preferred successor under the platform of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the governor said.
He described Mr Seriki as “young, pro-people, astute, and broad-minded,” adding that the APC chieftain enjoys grassroots support and widespread goodwill across the state.
The governor, however, said the endorsement would not prevent other aspirants from participating in the party primaries.
“While this does not in any way preclude all other aspirants from contesting in the primaries, I urge members and leaders to affirm the choice of Seriki as our candidate for cohesion, unity, and continuous success of the party,” he said.
Mr AbdulRazaq also stated that his decision should not be interpreted as a rejection of other governorship aspirants.
“The choice of Amb. Yahaya Seriki is neither a disapproval of any of our eminently qualified aspirants nor a whimsical attempt to delegitimise the noble aspirations of our people,” he added.
The endorsement follows days of uncertainty and political manoeuvring within the Kwara APC.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that most of the 16 APC governorship aspirants boycotted a strategic meeting convened by the governor in Ilorin after suspecting that it was aimed at imposing a preferred candidate on the party.
Only Mohammed Belgore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), reportedly attended the meeting, which was later postponed.
Sources quoted in that report said disagreements had emerged over zoning arrangements and the governor’s preference for a successor from Kwara North Senatorial District.
Party insiders also claimed that some stakeholders had earlier proposed former APC chairman Bashir Bolarinwa and Senator Saliu Mustapha as possible consensus candidates before attention shifted to Mr Seriki.
Mr Seriki, a businessman and APC chieftain from Kwara Central, had previously been mentioned in political consultations linked to the succession debate within the party.
The latest endorsement is expected to intensify political calculations within the APC as aspirants prepare for Thursday’s primary election.
The ruling party has in recent weeks faced growing internal tensions, including disputes surrounding the screening of House of Assembly aspirants.
PREMIUM TIMES also reported that 105 out of 158 Assembly aspirants were screened out by the party’s screening committee, including several serving lawmakers seeking re-election.
Despite the internal disputes, Mr AbdulRazaq maintained in his statement that all aspirants had shown discipline and commitment throughout the process.
He commended them for contributing to the growth of the APC and the development of the state.
The governor also defended the record of his administration, expressing confidence that the APC would sustain its current direction beyond his tenure.
Political observers say the outcome of Thursday’s governorship primary could significantly shape the balance of power within Kwara politics ahead of the 2027 general election, especially as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, seeks to regain political influence in the state.
PHOTO: Businessman and politician Abdulfatai Seriki, endorsed by the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as a preferred candidate for the governorship primaries scheduled for Thursday.