A dramatic political twist has shaken the political landscape in Kwara State as Governor Abdul Rahman Abdul Razak reportedly abandoned his earlier endorsement of Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki and instead threw his weight behind Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu as his preferred successor ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The unexpected development has sent shockwaves across the camp of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State, triggering intense reactions, fresh alignments, and heightened political tension just hours before the party’s governorship primaries.
The governor’s sudden change of direction is already being described by political observers as one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the state’s recent political history, especially after earlier signals strongly favoured Yahaya Seriki as the anointed candidate of the administration.
Sources within the party say the latest endorsement emerged after last-minute consultations among influential stakeholders and power blocs within the APC, leading to the decision to rally support around Danladi-Salihu, a prominent political figure from Kwara North Senatorial District.
The Speaker is now expected to battle other frontline aspirants for the APC ticket in a contest that analysts believe could redefine the political future of the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political watchers note that Governor AbdulRazaq’s backing carries enormous weight within the party structure due to his influence across the grassroots and among critical stakeholders in the state.
Supporters of Danladi-Salihu have welcomed the development, describing it as a strategic move aimed at preserving continuity, strengthening party unity, and ensuring balanced representation in the state’s leadership equation.
However, the dramatic switch has also sparked mixed reactions within the APC, particularly among loyalists of Yahaya Seriki and other aspirants, some of whom insist that the primaries should remain open, transparent, and competitive without undue interference.
As tension mounts across Ilorin and other parts of the state, party faithful and political observers remain on edge, awaiting the outcome of what is now shaping up to be one of the fiercest and most unpredictable APC governorship primaries in Kwara State’s political history.
