Competence Must Take Precedence’: APC Chieftain Wants Zoning Dropped for Kwara 2027
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Isaac Adeyemi, has called on the party to discard zoning arrangements and throw the 2027 governorship ticket open to all senatorial districts, insisting that competence should be the sole criterion for selecting the next governor.
Speaking in an interview with PUNCH on Friday, Adeyemi dismissed the growing agitation for zoning in the state, describing it as “unnecessary” and lacking historical precedence within the party.
He warned that excluding aspirants based on zoning could deepen internal divisions within the APC
“Let everybody be involved in the selection of who represents them and don’t close doors on some aspirants. For governorship, let all be involved. Leave it open.
“We need competence now. Let us pick the party candidate from any of the senatorial districts,” he stated.
Addressing specific calls for the governorship to be rotated to Kwara North in 2027, Adeyemi argued that the position has never been strictly zoned in the state’s political history.
“Honestly, we have never zoned the governorship in Kwara. In 2023, it was between S.Y. Abdullahi from the North and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq from Central. What is the need for zoning now? Practically, there is no need for it,” he said.
While acknowledging the infrastructural achievements of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, particularly in Kwara Central, Adeyemi urged the governor to prioritize local contractors and improve grassroots engagement.
He also cautioned traditional rulers against politicizing their offices, advising them to remain “fathers of all” and avoid dabbling into partisan politics.
Despite his stance on competence, Adeyemi, who hails from Kwara South, admitted that his zone still desires to produce the next governor, appealing to President Bola Tinubu for support.
“I thank God that President Tinubu has been doing well for my senatorial district, but like Oliver Twist, we need more. My zone wants to produce the next governor. We need the President to support us,” he added.
