KEY POINTS

• APC in Kwara State postponed its governorship primary from Thursday to Friday, May 22, 2026, with no official reason given.
• Eight aspirants stepped down in support of Abdulfatai Seriki, widely seen as the preferred successor of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
• The move reflects broader APC efforts nationwide to resolve primaries through consensus ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kwara State has postponed its governorship primary election earlier scheduled for Thursday, shifting it to Friday, May 22, 2026.

The announcement was contained in an official notice issued by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Abdulwaheed Babatunde.

According to the statement, the exercise will now hold on the revised date, with party members and aspirants advised to take note of the adjustment. No official reason was provided for the sudden postponement.

The Kwara State APC Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, confirmed the development, noting that the directive came from officials of the party’s national headquarters.

He explained that the postponement followed instructions from the national organising team, although no detailed explanation was given for the decision.

The shift came just hours before the exercise was originally scheduled to take place, creating uncertainty among delegates and aspirants.

Eight Aspirants Step Down for Consensus Candidate

Shortly before the postponement was announced, eight governorship aspirants reportedly stepped down in support of Abdulfatai Seriki, who is widely regarded as the preferred successor of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Those who withdrew their ambitions reportedly endorsed Seriki after a strategic meeting held with key stakeholders in the state.

The aspirants who pledged support include Salako Oluwatoyin, Captain Ahmad Mahmoud, Wale Sulaiman, Mohammed Bio, Toyin Alabi, Aisha Patigi, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi.

The meeting reportedly ended with a consensus agreement aimed at promoting party unity and ensuring continuity of the current administration’s policies.

Abdulfatai Seriki’s emergence as the consensus candidate followed intense consultations among party leaders and stakeholders.

The endorsement is seen as part of broader efforts to reduce internal competition and present a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Party insiders suggest that additional aspirants may still step down before the rescheduled primary, further strengthening Seriki’s position.

The development in Kwara comes amid ongoing governorship and legislative primaries being conducted by the APC across the country ahead of the 2027 elections.

In several states, the party has adopted either direct elections or consensus arrangements to select its candidates, depending on local political dynamics.

Similar consensus-driven outcomes have been recorded in other states, reflecting a growing trend within the party to avoid prolonged internal disputes.