APC Postpones Guber Primary in Kwara as 8 Aspirants Drop Ambitions

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed the Kwara State governorship primary scheduled for Thursday to Friday.

The state party chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi who confirmed the development to journalists in Ilorin stated that his office was aware that the national leadership ordered the cancellation.

He said, “we don’t have details of the cancellation other than the fact that the team from national office came and instructed that the election holds tomorrow.(Friday)”

However, a statement issued by the state party’s publicity secretary,
Alhaji Abdulwaheed Olawale Babatunde said, “The APC Governorship Primary earlier scheduled to hold today, Thursday, 21st May 2026, has been postponed.

“The new date for the Governorship Primary is now Friday, 22nd May 2026.

“All aspirants, and party faithfuls are advised to take note.

“Thank you for your understanding and cooperation”.

However, barely few hours to the commencement of the postponed primary in the state, eight more aspirants, early Thursday stepped down from the race.

The aspirants consequently threw their weights behind the anointed aspirant of the state governor, Ambassador Yahaya Serieki leaving the contest amongsts, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Alhaji Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB), Engineer Femi Sanni (Araba), and Serieki.

Those who pulled out from the race and also pledged their support for Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki include Dr. Salako Muyideen Oluwatoyin, Captain Ahmad Mahmoud, Professor Wale Sulaiman, Dr. Mohammed Omar Bio, Dr. Toyin Alabi, Hajia Aisha Ahman Patigi, Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Yakubu Salihu Danladi.

The aspirants announced their withdrawal from the race ahead of the postponed Thursday primaries. Earlier Senator Sadiq Umar, and director -general of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, have announced their withdrawal from the race.

A development which further doused tension amongsts supporters of various aspirants in the race.

The suspended primaries however turned out to be carnival l-like as supporters of Serieki, Mustapha, Sanni and BOB turned out in their large numbers at the various wards to demonstrate their supports for their preferred aspirants.

From Magaji Are ward 11 to Alanamu, Gambari ward 11, to Adewole ward in Ilorin East and West local government respectively, party supporters took the contest as family affairs, displaying posters of their preferred aspirants as they danced to praise songs for their supporters.

At Gambari ward 11, in Ilorin east local government areas in Kwara central senatorial district, scores of Hausa speaking visually impaired persons trooped into Karumo, venue of the primaries, to participate in the electoral process as early as 8:am for the exercise that eventually started at 12noon across the state.

At the ward (Gambari 11), a Sokoto State born visually-impaired Abubakar Gobir Sokoto told newsmen that he and his mates and colleagues were at the arena to exercise their civic right as loyal party members.

Another visually-impaired, Rufai Yusuf, also from Sokoto State declared: “we are with our families to pay goodness with goodness, we are all here for Yahaya Seriki.”

At Adewole and Alananmu wards in Ilorin West, the shout: “sai Yahaya” by his supporters rented the air.

Also, reports from the Kwara South senatorial district of the state revealed that, party members from the seven local government areas that make up the Kwara South senatorial district of the state were reportedly lined up for one of the frontline governorship aspirants and former state party chairman, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa.

THISDAY checks revealed that, party members queued behind the former Kwara State APC Chairman in several wards across the seven local government areas that make up the district, as a major show of strength ahead of the 2027 governorship race.

In Oyun Local Government Area, APC faithful from Erin-Ile, Ipee, Iraa, Ijagbo, Ilemona and other wards reportedly turned out in hundreds to take part in the exercise.

Residents and party supporters were seen gathering early at designated voting centres as the exercise commenced under the supervision of party officials and security operatives.

The heavy turnout recorded in Kwara South is being interpreted by APC members as a strong indication of Bolarinwa’s growing acceptance within the ruling party structure in the district.