An All Progressives Congress pressure group in Kwara State, the Kwara Political Leaders of Thought, has kicked against calls to zone the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that leadership choice should be based on competence rather than senatorial considerations.
The group’s position comes amid growing agitation by some political leaders and groups in Kwara North Senatorial District demanding that the APC zone the 2027 governorship ticket to the area.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, the KPLOT leader, Mohammed Mariam Alhassan, said the ideal candidate to govern Kwara in 2027 could emerge from any of the three senatorial districts, North, South or Central, provided such a person possesses the capacity to address the state’s mounting challenges, especially insecurity.
“We as a group believe that leadership position should be about competence and track records and not solely on sectional sentiments, as being pushed by some people.
“Such person should be searched across the senatorial districts of Kwara in order to present a capable and competent candidate that will consolidate the work and gains of President Tinubu in our state.”
Alhassan urged the APC national leadership and the Presidency to exercise caution in decisions regarding the party’s governorship ticket, warning against what he described as sentimental and “turn-by-turn” politics.
“Kwara is facing an unprecedented security crisis that leaves no room for emotional or sectional political calculations.
“The present reality demands sobriety, honesty, and courage. Our political decisions must be driven by capacity, competence and character, not sentiment or zoning,” he said.
The KPLOT leader described parts of the state as being “practically at war,” citing rising cases of banditry and violent crimes across several local government areas.
“From Edu to Patigi, Ifelodun to Isin, and from Ekiti to Kaiama, Kwara State has regrettably become an epicentre of banditry and terrorism, a situation unprecedented in our history,” Alhassan said.
While commending the efforts of the Kwara State Government under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he noted that many communities remain under siege, with livelihoods threatened and public confidence eroded.
He argued that the current security realities demand deliberate, strategic and competent leadership rather than zoning arrangements.
“If the best and most capable candidate emerges from Kwara North, we must not hesitate to support such a person. If that candidate comes from Kwara South or Central, the same principle must apply,” he said.
“At this critical moment, limiting our choices based on zoning or primordial sentiment is dangerous, and the consequences will be borne by all Kwarans.”
The group also cautioned traditional rulers in the state against involvement in partisan politics, stressing that royal institutions derive their authority from neutrality and moral standing.
“Once a royal institution is dragged into partisan battles, it risks losing its unifying essence and the sacred distance that commands reverence,” Alhassan added.
The zoning debate within the Kwara APC has intensified in recent months, with some groups from Kwara North insisting that the zone, which has never produced a governor since the state’s creation, should be allowed to produce the party’s candidate in 2027.
However, KPLOT’s position adds to a growing internal party pushback against zoning, as political calculations ahead of the next election cycle continue to gather momentum in the state.
