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Politics Speaker Danladi Remains Most Popular APC Guber Candidate, Won Primary Convincingly – Kwara APC Elders
A group of elders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has reaffirmed its support for the party’s governorship candidate, Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, insisting that he emerged from the party’s primary election through a transparent, free, and fair process. The elders, drawn from the three senatorial……
By Wasiu Salami
June 16, 2026 1:36 AM GMT+1
A group of elders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has reaffirmed its support for the party’s governorship candidate, Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, insisting that he emerged from the party’s primary election through a transparent, free, and fair process.
The elders, drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, described the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly as the most popular aspirant in the race, citing his youthfulness, grassroots appeal, political experience, and leadership capacity.
Speaking at a press conference in Ilorin on Monday, the group dismissed recent criticisms and allegations surrounding Danladi-Salihu’s emergence, describing them as acts of mischief and envy by supporters of defeated aspirants.
The stakeholders, led by the Chairman of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Mallam Lateef Gidado Alakawa, recalled that the APC governorship primary held on May 22, 2026, was conducted peacefully under the supervision of a committee headed by former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who was mandated by the party’s national leadership to oversee the exercise.
According to Alakawa, the results were announced publicly at the Banquet Hall along Ahmadu Bello Way in Ilorin, where Danladi-Salihu emerged winner.
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“The general public is aware that our party conducted its primaries for all elective positions in a peaceful atmosphere. The governorship primary produced the incumbent Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the winner,” he said.
He noted that none of the other aspirants formally challenged the outcome of the election and commended Danladi-Salihu for reaching out to fellow contestants in the spirit of unity and reconciliation.
The elders further disclosed that the APC governorship candidate had since embarked on consultations with key stakeholders across the state, including traditional rulers, who they said had offered their blessings and support ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
They highlighted Danladi-Salihu’s credentials, describing him as a trained engineer with significant political experience acquired over seven years as Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
“Danladi-Salihu is a youth who enjoys tremendous support among young people across the state. His credentials are in the public domain, and he has demonstrated capacity and leadership,” the group stated.
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The elders also defended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq against allegations of imposing a candidate on the party, insisting that the governor played no direct role in the conduct of the primary election.
According to them, AbdulRazaq merely accepted the outcome of a process that was adjudged peaceful, free, and fair by party officials and observers.
They recalled that Senator Obanikoro, while announcing the results of the primary, declared that Danladi-Salihu secured 94,990 votes to defeat eight other aspirants in the contest.
The group maintained that the Speaker’s victory reflected his widespread acceptance across the state, noting that he recorded impressive results in all three senatorial districts.
They also pointed out that prominent contenders, including Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, had mobilised support for Danladi-Salihu during the contest, while several local government areas returned overwhelming votes in his favour.
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The elders argued that the election results clearly demonstrated that Danladi-Salihu won the primary convincingly and deserved the support of all party faithful ahead of the 2027 general election.
Rather than criticising the outcome, they urged aggrieved party members to unite behind the APC candidate and work with Governor AbdulRazaq to ensure the party’s victory at the polls.
The stakeholders further expressed confidence in the leadership of Governor AbdulRazaq, describing him as a responsive and inclusive leader who had consistently carried stakeholders along in governance and party affairs.
They assured President Bola Tinubu that Kwara remains a stronghold of the APC and pledged that the party would retain control of the state in the 2027 elections.
“We want to assure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that Kwara remains an APC state and, by the grace of God, the governor and other genuine stakeholders will once again deliver the state to the APC in 2027,” the group said
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This news development was originally reported by our media partner TVC News Politics .
