BY AHMED AKANBI
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has submitted the name of the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Yakubu Danladi Salihu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its governorship candidate in the state for the 2027 general elections.
The development has added a new dimension to the internal crisis rocking the ruling party in the state since the conduct of its primary.
While the submission appears to confirm Danladi’s position as the party’s standard-bearer, it has not resolved the grievances of the influential G15 group of party leaders.
The G15 continues to challenge the process that produced Danladi and has refused to participate in the party’s reconciliation efforts.
Rather than ending the crisis, the submission of Danladi’s name to INEC may have only moved the contest into a new phase.
The core question now is no longer just about who emerged as candidate, but whether the APC can unite its warring factions ahead of the general election.
Chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee in the state, Col Lukman Ademola Lawal (rtd), confirmed on Thursday that members of the G15 have shunned meetings with the committee.
According to him, the aggrieved members said they prefer to meet directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to present their case.
The disagreement that birthed the G15 developed over months of political calculations and intense competition to succeed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is completing his second term.
The APC governorship ticket attracted 16 aspirants, reflecting the strength of the party but also highlighting the complexity of managing competing ambitions during a major transition.
As the contest progressed, attention shifted to the governor’s likely preferred candidate, with political observers tracking his engagements and alliances.
When Salihu emerged as the candidate, the outcome triggered a fresh political battle instead of cementing party unity as aggrieved aspirants and supporters argued that the primary lacked fairness and internal democracy, and began consultations.
What started as scattered dissatisfaction quickly consolidated into an organized movement, first as the G10 and later expanding to the G15 as more stakeholders joined the call for a review of the process.