An internal debate has intensified within Nigeria’s ruling political party, the All Progressives Congress, in Kwara State, north-central Nigeria, as a prominent party-aligned pressure group firmly rejected calls to zone the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group, known as the Kwara Political Leaders of Thought, argued that leadership selection should be driven by competence, character, and capacity rather than senatorial or sectional considerations. Its position comes amid mounting pressure from political actors and advocacy groups in Kwara North Senatorial District, one of the three senatorial zones in the state, who are demanding that the APC reserve its 2027 governorship ticket for the district.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, 19 December 2025, in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State in north-central Nigeria, the leader of the group, Mohammed Mariam Alhassan, stressed that the ideal candidate to govern the state could emerge from any of the three senatorial districts, namely Kwara North, Kwara South, or Kwara Central.
“We as a group believe that leadership position should be about competence and track records and not solely on sectional sentiments, as being pushed by some people,” Alhassan said.
He further explained that the search for leadership must cut across all zones of the state to ensure the emergence of a candidate capable of consolidating governance gains and addressing the state’s worsening security challenges.
“Such person should be searched across the senatorial districts of Kwara in order to present a capable and competent candidate that will consolidate the work and gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in our state,” he added.
Okay News reports that the debate over zoning has taken on greater urgency as Kwara State grapples with increasing security threats, including banditry and violent crimes affecting rural and urban communities alike.
Alhassan cautioned the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress and Nigeria’s Presidency against what he described as emotionally driven or rotational politics, warning that such an approach could undermine the state’s stability.
“Kwara is facing an unprecedented security crisis that leaves no room for emotional or sectional political calculations,” he said.
“The present reality demands sobriety, honesty, and courage. Our political decisions must be driven by capacity, competence and character, not sentiment or zoning.”
The group leader painted a grim picture of the security situation, describing parts of the state as being “practically at war.” He cited escalating incidents of banditry and violent attacks across several local government areas.
“From Edu to Patigi, Ifelodun to Isin, and from Ekiti to Kaiama, Kwara State has regrettably become an epicentre of banditry and terrorism, a situation unprecedented in our history,” Alhassan stated.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Kwara State Government led by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the current Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhassan noted that many communities remain under siege.
According to him, livelihoods have been disrupted, public confidence weakened, and the demand for strategic leadership has become more urgent than ever.
“If the best and most capable candidate emerges from Kwara North, we must not hesitate to support such a person. If that candidate comes from Kwara South or Central, the same principle must apply,” he said.
“At this critical moment, limiting our choices based on zoning or primordial sentiment is dangerous, and the consequences will be borne by all Kwarans.”
The group also warned traditional rulers across the state to refrain from partisan political engagement, emphasizing that royal institutions derive legitimacy from neutrality and moral authority.
“Once a royal institution is dragged into partisan battles, it risks losing its unifying essence and the sacred distance that commands reverence,” Alhassan added.
The zoning controversy has gained traction in recent months, particularly among groups in Kwara North, who argue that the zone has never produced a governor since the creation of Kwara State in 1967.
However, the position taken by the Kwara Political Leaders of Thought reflects a growing internal resistance within the APC, as political alignments and calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to evolve.
