Two leading governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Yakubu Danladi Salihu and Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, on Sunday, expressed confidence in the party’s screening process and pledged commitment to the progress and unity of the state ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The aspirants spoke separately with journalists in Abuja shortly after appearing before the APC screening panel.
Speaking after his screening, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Danladi Salihu, said he remained optimistic about his aspiration, insisting that divine guidance had continued to shape his political journey.
“God has been guiding us from the beginning, will keep on guiding us, and we will reach our desired destination by God’s grace,” he said.
Reacting to speculations that he had been “anointed” for the governorship ticket, the Speaker said he would gladly accept such goodwill if it turned out to be true.
“If there is an anointed candidate, and people are saying Danladi has been anointed, my prayer is let it be so. By God’s grace, we will move Kwara to the next level,” he stated.
On why he decided to seek an executive position instead of remaining in the legislature, Danladi argued that leadership experience as a presiding officer in the legislature already exposed him to executive responsibilities.
“That does not mean when you are a Speaker, you should remain permanently in the legislature. Being a presiding officer is also an executive role. We have garnered that experience over the past seven years, and today we are ready to run Kwara and take it to the desired destination,” he added.
The Speaker also stressed the need for unity among aspirants, noting that political competition should not divide stakeholders within the party.
Also speaking, Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, described the screening process as smooth and thorough.
“It went very well and smoothly. The panellists are not strangers to me, and I am not a stranger to them, so it made things easier. They were very thorough anyway,” he said.
On the issue of consensus candidature, Sulaiman threw his weight behind the arrangement, provided the party sets clear benchmarks and standards for evaluating aspirants.
“The party should set minimum benchmarks and standards for evaluating aspirants. Once those conditions are clearly known and applied fairly, there is nothing wrong with consensus,” he stated.
According to him, consensus remains part of democratic principles and internal party practice.
He, however, expressed concern that APC stakeholders in Kwara had yet to convene a meeting involving all governorship aspirants to deliberate on the possibility of consensus.
“We are probably the only state yet to convene such a meeting where aspirants can interact and agree on the way forward. As for me, I am ready to listen to the party,” he said.
Highlighting his credentials, Sulaiman pointed to his past roles as Minister of National Planning, university lecturer and current DG of NILDS as evidence of his capacity to govern the state effectively.
“Talk about youth inclusivity, gender inclusivity, infrastructure, human capital development and workers’ welfare, my records are there for people to see. Kwarans should decide based on what they have seen and experienced,” he added.
