Before the news of President Bola Tinubu and APC endorsement of Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB) as the consensus candidate in the 2027 Kwara State gubernatorial election filtered in via the Director-General of NOA, Lanre Isa-Onilu, a few days ago, the third-term agenda of the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrasak, through power shift to Kwara North, seemed cast in stone.
Bolarinwa’s choice delights Kwarans, especially members of the APC, because fielding Abdulrasak’s anointed candidate, Danladi Yakubu, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, amounts to scoring an own goal.
But for Abdulrasak, a man who is normally reserved, the decision of Tinubu and APC must not stand.
The decision of APC to use consensus to pick gubernatorial aspirants was not limited to Kwara State, but only Abdulrasak is daring the President’s decision.
In Lagos State, the media has been reporting the choice of Obafemi Hamzat as the APC consensus gubernatorial candidate for 2027 in the Centre of Excellence; we are yet to read stories of protests against the decision.
In Ogun State, they have accepted the decision of the party that Olamilekan Adeola, aka Yayi, should be the consensus candidate for Ogun 2027.
Instead of protesting or organising rallies against the President and the party’s decision, Iyabo Obasanjo, a former senator and one of Yayi’s fiercest rivals, has this to say on Yayi’s selection as consensus candidate:
‘‘I congratulate him and wish him every success. I also thank the state and national leaders of our great party for the opportunity to participate in the nomination process. Based on these developments, I have decided to suspend my gubernatorial aspiration.
‘‘To my supporters across Ogun State, I am deeply grateful for your calm, steadfast support and unwavering trust throughout this journey. Together, we move forward with patience, strength and hope.’’
In Oyo State, it is only members of the PDP who are uncomfortable with the selection of Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli as the APC consensus candidate.
All party members are already congratulating Alli, and they are thanking the President and the party for their decision.
In Osun, when the elders summoned Iyiola Omisore, the strongman of Ife/Ijesha politics, and told him the President and party had settled for Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji as the party’s consensus candidate, he agreed with the decision.
The Ekiti State governor and other first-term governors were given an automatic ticket for the second term without any rancour.
So far, only Abdulrasak is daring the President and the party.
For APC caucus groups in Kwara North, the choice of Bolarinwa as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 election by Tinubu and the APC is in the interest of Kwarans.
In a statement signed by representatives of the five local governments in Kwara North—Mayaki Baba Muhammed (Edu LGA), Tsado Joseph (Patigi LGA), Bolaji Afolabi (Moro LGA), Mohammed Abass (Kaiama LGA), and Luqman Sabi (Baruten LGA)—read:
‘‘We, the Kwara North Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), wish to categorically dissociate ourselves from the recent press statements and hastily organised rallies by a few individuals claiming to speak for our region in support of the governorship aspiration of Kwara North.
‘‘We firmly believe that governance and political leadership must transcend ethnic, tribal, or sectional considerations. The focus must remain on capacity, competence, credibility, and proven antecedents—qualities that not only win elections but also guarantee inclusive governance and equitable development across all regions of Kwara State.
‘‘In light of these principles, we have resolved to align with a candidate whose track record speaks for itself—Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, a leader of proven integrity, administrative competence, and unifying capacity. His extensive experience across legislative and executive roles, coupled with his demonstrated ability to lead and deliver—most notably during the historic O to Ge Revolution—positions him as a credible and formidable candidate.’’
Apart from the fact that Section 84 (2) of the new Electoral Act stipulates that the procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties shall be by either direct primaries or consensus, the consensus arrangement also curbs wasteful spending and the bad blood from losers who either quit the party after spending so much on the primary or stay in the party and work for the opposition.
Before a consensus candidate is agreed on, party elders gather intelligence and do background checks on the leading candidates. They look at their acceptance within the party and the general populace, their character and integrity, their ability to coordinate and finance the campaign, their programmes, among others.
In the case of Kwara State, all and sundry know that Governor Abdulrasak has not only eroded the gains of O to Ge, but he has made many enemies for himself and the party.
Apart from beautification work in Ilorin GRA and Unity Road, Post Office, Abdulrasak has taken Kwara backwards.
From the lack of tangible projects in Kwara South and North to the education crisis in Kwara Central between Christians and Muslims,
Besides the above, he also scored zero in terms of human capital development.
He abhors intellectualism and cannot work with people with strong personalities, and this probably informs his decision to give youths, who are yes-men and women, political positions.
