Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
Against the backdrop on the ongoing feud in the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) over the conduct of the last primaries of the party in Kwara State, a former governorship aspirant of the party, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, has dismissed fears that the grievances trailing the party’s governorship primary could affect its chances in the 2027 general elections.
He said the APC remains the party to beat in the state.
Sulaiman stated this in Ilorin on Thursday while speaking with newsmen on the state of the nation
He said despite the agitation by some dissatisfied aspirants under the platform of the G-15, the ruling party would eventually close ranks ahead of the election because of what he described as its superior performance in government.
Sulaiman argued that it was regrettable that the ongoing dispute within the party was driven more by personal ambition than genuine concern for democratic principles or the welfare of Kwarans.
According to him, many of those now challenging the emergence of the APC governorship candidate never questioned the process until it failed to favour them.
“I think it is rather unfortunate that we have grown men fighting like schoolchildren whose principal has denied them candy.
“The debate should be about the needs of our people, not about a sense of political entitlement,” he said.
Sulaiman said Kwara was grappling with serious challenges, including insecurity, unemployment, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure, lamenting that the state’s political conversation has shifted away from addressing those issues.
“Kwara is one of the states badly affected by insecurity. People have vacated their villages, farmers cannot go to their farms, women struggle to go to markets, and unemployment remains very high.
“Nobody has really come out to say, ‘This is how I will tackle insecurity, create jobs, improve education, or develop infrastructure.’ The debate has become about who wants to be governor because they want to be king,” he added.
The former aspirant maintained that he entered politics to serve the people rather than pursue personal ambition, stressing that competence and leadership capacity should remain the basis for choosing leaders.
“I have never fought for any position because of self-gratification. I have always believed our people deserve better, and I have always engaged in politics based on issues,” he said.
Sulaiman, however, acknowledged that the APC primary process had generated controversy but argued that party members willingly subjected themselves to the party’s internal mechanisms.
“The process was there for everybody to see. Once the game has been played and a winner declared, people cannot suddenly begin to fault the process simply because it did not favour them.
“If those complaining today had emerged through the same process, would they have rejected the nomination? I don’t think so,” he said.
Speaking on the agitation by members of the G-15, Sulaiman said the group’s concerns should have been raised before the conclusion of the selection process rather than after a candidate had emerged.
He also noted that President Bola Tinubu had publicly indicated that APC governors would play a leading role in the emergence of their successors, making Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq the recognised leader of the party in Kwara.
“The President made it clear that governors would choose their successors. In Kwara, the governor is the leader of the party. If there were laid-down guidelines that were breached, those complaining should have pointed them out,” he said.
Sulaiman insisted that politics should always be about service to the electorate and that anything short of that is unacceptable. He also recalled unveiling the Kwara Prosperity Agenda during his campaign to address security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and youth unemployment.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, he expressed confidence that the APC would retain power in the state despite the current disagreements.
“When it comes to campaigns, there is nothing the opposition can say that can beat the APC at the polls. Our people are intelligent and can compare performances.
“I have seen Kwara under the PDP and under the APC. Whether it is healthcare, education, sports facilities, or infrastructure, people can judge for themselves.
“Eventually, Kwara North will come together, Kwara Central will play its role, and Kwara South will be decisive. Based on the performance of the APC and what I know about our people, I believe the party will still carry the day in 2027,” Sulaiman said.
