Danladi-Salihu Is Popular, Won APC Guber Ticket Convincingly – APC Elders, Stakeholders, ALGON

The All Progressive Congress( APC) Kwara Elders have threw their weight behind the candidature of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Engr. Yakubu Danladi- Salihu.

The APC Kwara  elders at a crowded press conference in Ilorin, the state capital assured President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC that Danladi- Salihu enjoyed the popular support of the people of the state, especially the youths population.

The forum was reacting to the earlier press conference held by the Chief James Bamisaiye- led APC Elders Caucus where they condemned the choice of Danladi-Salihu as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.

The text of the Kwara APC Elders’ statement read by the state coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda Ambassadors, Hon. AbdulLateef Gidado Alakawa reads:

“Gentlemen of the press, we want to thank you for honouring our impromptu invitation. We have called this press conference to the put record straight on some spurious claims made by some people who claimed to be members of Kwara APC Elders during a news conference they addressed earlier today.  To say the least, those who addressed that conference are interlopers who are not recognized by the APC structure in the state.

“We shouldn’t have dignified the claims of these interlopers who called themselves elders of our great party, the APC by this response, but there’s is the need to put a lie to their fathom claims.

“The general public is aware of the fact that our party held its primaries for all the elective offices, including the governorship ticket in a peaceful atmosphere. The results of the governorship primary was announced by the chairman of the panel that was sent from Abuja to conductor the exercise, Hon. Musiliu Obanikoro  in the presence of all loyal party members at the Banquet Hall along Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin.

“The governorship primary that was held on 22nd May 2026 produced the incumbent speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi- Salihu as winner. Since that time, none of the other gubernatorial aspirant has raised a complaint on the outcome of the exercise.  And as a team player, the           APC gubernatorial candidate has since extended the hands of fellowship to his co- contestants.

“Not only this, Hon. Danladi- has embarked on a tour of the residences of key stakeholders in the affairs of our dear state, including our traditional rulers, who have all blessed him, assured him of their support and prayed for his victory at the poll come 2027.

“The credentials of Danladi – Salihu is in public domain. Apart from being an engineer, he has garnered enough political experience as the state’s number three citizen in the last seven years. Our candidate is also a youth who enjoys the support of mammoth youths population.

“On the so-called elders disparaging comments on our leader, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, we want to clarify that the governor did not imose any gubernatorial candidates on the party. The governor allowed a free contest in the gubernatorial primary while he was not also directly in charge of the conduct of the exercise. He as a democrat only accepted the outcome of the exercise which was adjudged peaceful, free and fair by those that supervised it.

“Declaring the result of the gubernatorial primary, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  Supervisory Committee of Kwara State Governorship Primary, Senator Musliu Obanikoro  said Danladi- Salihu scored 94,990 votes to beat other eight aspirants that participated in the exercise.

“From Central to North and South, party leaders, stakeholders, and members  turned up heavily to affirm the choice of  Danladi- Salihu who polled more than 65% of the total ballots.

“We recall that key contenders, including Amb. Yahaya Seriki, had earlier mobiiised support for Danladi- Salihu  in a show of solidarity. All the five local government areas in the North returned more than 90% of their votes in favour of the Danladi- Salihu,  while he also led comfortably across the two other senatorial districts. In Southern District, Offa, Oyun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Isin, Oke Ero, and Ifelodun stood firmly behind the choice of the Speaker, underscoring his strong support base across the state.

Results of the other candidates are Engr. Femi Sani 5,519; Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe 3,920; Belgore 3,411;  Mohamed Bio 1122; Dr. Alabi Oluwatoyin, 1099; Amb. Seriki 41,700; Bolarinwa 22,118; Prof. Wale Suleiman, 2434; and Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, 1722.

“The above illustration showed that Danladi- Salihu won the gubernatorial primary convincingly. What we expected of the so- called elders is to join hands with our governor and other stakeholders to ensure the victory of our governorship candidate and all other candidates of the APC at the poll.

“The conduct of these elders have shown that their not patriotic member of the APC and do not mean well for our dear Kwara State. We hold the opinion that every well- meaning party man will pray for a successor who will continue the good work of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

“Though, we understand their plight, but we expected them to accept the outcome of the gubernatorial primary in good faith and join hands with our God- sent governor to deliver the state to APC during the 2027 general elections. We are luck to have a listening and responsive governor, who has always ensured that everyone is carried along in the running of the party and the state.

“We want to assure His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu that Kwara is APC state and in shaa Allahu, the governor and all other genuine stakeholders will deliver the state, once again to the APC come 2027. ”

Alakawa was flanked by the coordinator of the Kwara Central APC Elders Caucus, Alh Razaq Lawal and a chieftain of the party, Alh Usman Bibire Ajape, amongst others.

The majority leader, Kwara State House of Assembly, Barr. AbdulKadir Magaji, Honm Rukayyatu Shittu, Hon. Mariam Aladi,  senior adviser and counselor, Alh Saadu Salahu, special adviser ( Special Duties), Alh AbdulRazaq Jidda, special adviser on Media, Alh Bashir Adigun, senior special assistant on Religion( Islam), ex- non executive director of NNPCL, Dr Mohammed Ghali Alaaya, Hon. Mashood Alaka and Hon. Hassan Gegele were amongst the dignitaries that attended the conference.

Similarly,the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kwara State Chapter, said APC in the state remains united, peaceful, and firmly aligned with the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The association made the clarification in its  reaction to a recent press conference by some individuals, stressing that the views expressed did not represent the position of the 16 local government areas in the state.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson and chairman of Ifelodun local government area,  Hadji Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf, ALGON said:”  The individuals who spoke at the press conference did so in their personal capacity and did not represent any local government council or its leadership in Kwara State.

” The gathering in question was not in consultation with the recognised elders’ caucuses across the 16 local government areas, and as such does not reflect any formal or collective decision of party structures.

” ALGON restated that the APC primary election held on Friday, 22nd May 2026 was duly conducted in line with party guidelines, with members freely participating in the process. The exercise produced Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, as the duly emerged candidate, and the association urged all stakeholders to respect the outcome.

” The association maintained that there is no crisis within the Kwara APC, adding that the party remains stable, focused, and committed to the continued development agenda of the AbdulRazaq-led administration.

” It further noted that APC remains a united family where internal democracy produces both winners and those who may not emerge successful, stressing that all members are ultimately working towards a common goal of party success and good governance in Kwara State.

” ALGON added that the APC in Kwara has continued to grow stronger under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s leadership, due to the discipline, loyalty, and commitment of party members to collective interest over personal ambitions.

“The association therefore urged party faithful and members of the public to disregard narratives capable of causing division, and instead focus on strengthening unity and consolidating the developmental achievements already recorded across the state.”