Despite the festering crisis among stakeholders of the APC in Kwara State, aggrieved members of the party under the aegis of The Otoge Progressives (TOP) on Wednesday said they would remain in the ruling party to vote against the current leadership of the party in the 2027 general election.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ rally in Ilorin, members of TOP, including former APC governorship and National Assembly aspirants, as well as other political leaders and elders, said they were presently working with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to effect a change in government in the state.
Addressing the stakeholders, one of the APC elders’ caucus members, Chief James Ayeni, said that a change in government was necessary.
‘We’re still members of the APC. We’re only working with another party to have a change of government. We need a change of government, definitely.
‘It’s quite unfortunate. We had thought we’ll make a big difference among the people when we had Otoge revolution in 2019. So, it’s necessary we have a change of government in the state now with what’s happening. Government is not for one person. It’s not a company where you have overall boss. It’s a contribution of everyone that makes a government. We can’t make you a leader and think you can do whatever you want on your own’, he said.
Also speaking, the senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, Senator Salihu Mustapha, said that the 2027 elections would be used to reset the political landscape in the state.
He, therefore, urged his supporters, stakeholders and the electorate to come out and vote massively for President Bola Tinubu and all the candidates under the rainbow coalition.
He said that, ‘we should use the next elections to reset the political landscape of the state. We should all be ready to vote wisely and all guide our votes during the election.
‘We are here today to thank all of you for your dedication and support. Our over the years philanthropy will speak for us at the polls’.
In his speech, a former Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Salman Jawondo (SAN), said that members of TOP would support the candidature of the incumbent occupant of the Kwara Central senatorial seat, Senator Saliu Mustapha, who is now the PDP candidate for the position, and President Bola Tinubu’s second term in the forthcoming general elections.
While addressing the people, a former governorship aspirant, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe, said that people needed approachable representatives to represent them in the National Assembly and attract welfare and better development.
He enjoined groups and associations of Ilorin Emirate indigenes to be conscious of collective responsibility, saying that it was someone who emerged from the people’s choice that would work for them.
He said there was a total of 1,204 polling units in Kwara Central, urging the people to come out en masse and vote for Saliu Mustapha in the 2027 general elections.