An All Progressives Congress (APC) pressure group in Kwara State, the Kwara Political Leaders of Thought (KPLOT), has strongly opposed calls for the zoning of the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that competence and capacity should take precedence over senatorial or sectional considerations.
The group’s stance comes amid increasing agitation from political leaders and interest groups in Kwara North Senatorial District, who are demanding that the APC zone its 2027 governorship ticket to the area. Kwara North has never produced a governor since the creation of the state, a fact often cited by proponents of zoning.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, KPLOT leader, Mohammed Mariam Alhassan, said the party must resist what he described as sentimental and “turn-by-turn” politics. According to him, the scale of challenges confronting Kwara State, particularly insecurity, demands a leader with proven competence, irrespective of geographical origin.
“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,” Alhassan said. “The right candidate can emerge from Kwara North, South or Central, as long as such a person has the capacity to consolidate the gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in our state.”
He urged the APC national leadership and the Presidency to tread carefully in decisions surrounding the governorship ticket, warning that zoning could limit the party’s options at a critical moment in the state’s history.
Alhassan painted a grim picture of the security situation across Kwara, describing parts of the state as being “practically at war”. He cited escalating cases of banditry and violent crimes across several local government areas, including Edu, Patigi, Ifelodun, Isin, Ekiti and Kaiama.
“Kwara State has regrettably become an epicentre of banditry and terrorism, a situation unprecedented in our history,” he said, noting that many communities remain under siege, livelihoods are threatened and public confidence has been weakened.
While commending the efforts of the Kwara State Government under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Federal Government led by President Tinubu, Alhassan stressed that the prevailing realities require deliberate, strategic and courageous leadership rather than political sentiment.
He maintained that if the most qualified candidate emerges from Kwara North, the party should support such a person without hesitation, adding that the same principle should apply if the candidate comes from Kwara South or Central.
“At this critical moment, limiting our choices based on zoning or primordial sentiment is dangerous, and the consequences will be borne by all Kwarans,” he warned.
The group also cautioned traditional rulers in the state against involvement in partisan politics, emphasising that royal institutions derive their strength from neutrality and moral authority.
The zoning debate within the Kwara APC has intensified in recent months, highlighting growing internal tensions as political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 elections gathers momentum.
