Women members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara Central Senatorial District on Saturday held a rally in Ilorin to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other candidates of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The rally, led by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilisation, Monsurat Abimbola Lawal, brought together party supporters from different parts of the senatorial district.

Participants assembled at the General Hospital Roundabout in Ilorin before marching through several parts of the state capital, including Surulere, Agaka, Oja Oba Market, Gambari, Ita-Adu, Kankatu, Omoda and Alore.

Dressed in matching outfits, the women carried banners, sang party songs and expressed support for APC candidates.

The organisers said the demonstration was intended to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and encourage women to participate actively in the party’s election activities.

Speaking with journalists during the rally, Lawal said the gathering was organised to demonstrate support for AbdulRazaq’s bid to represent Kwara Central in the Senate.

She described the governor as a political leader whose administration had earned the confidence of party members.

“This public demonstration is rooted in our love, support and commitment to mobilizing votes for our hard working leader and Governor, Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is contesting for the Senate,” she said.

Lawal added that the rally was also intended to support Tinubu’s re-election bid and other APC candidates contesting various positions in the state.

“We also staged the rally in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC candidates across the state,” she said.

She argued that the electorate would assess the current administration against previous governments when deciding how to vote.

Lawal expressed confidence in the party’s electoral prospects, citing what she described as improvements recorded under the APC-led government.

Her assessment reflected the position of the party organisers rather than an independent evaluation of the administration’s performance.

The governor’s aide also appealed for unity among APC members, urging supporters to work together ahead of the elections.

The Deputy Speaker of the Ilorin West Legislative Council and councillor representing Warah-Oshin/Egbejila Ward, Sherifat Balogun, called on dissatisfied APC members to resolve their differences and support the party’s candidates.

Balogun said internal cooperation would be important to the party’s preparations for the elections.

She maintained that the turnout at the rally reflected support for the APC among women in Kwara Central.

According to her, participants attended voluntarily and were not paid to join the demonstration.

“We didn’t hire anybody. You can see all of us in uniform. These are just a few of us who came out from Kwara Central, because it’s a voluntary rally. Nobody is paying us for anything,” she said.

Balogun also commended the AbdulRazaq administration, saying its policies and programmes had contributed to development in the state.

She urged aggrieved members to reconcile with the party leadership and participate in its campaign activities.

“We are appealing to the aggrieved members to join the moving train for the continuity of good works that the Governor is doing,” she said.

Her comments highlighted the importance party organisers placed on internal reconciliation as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

Another APC member from Oloje Ward, Zakariya Muminat Jumai, praised what she described as the AbdulRazaq administration’s commitment to women’s participation in governance.

Jumai said the appointment of women to political offices had provided opportunities for greater involvement in public decision-making.

She cited women serving as commissioners, senior special assistants and special assistants as examples of female representation within the administration.

According to her, such appointments had encouraged women within the party to become more active in political activities.

“We just gathered members of APC who are here to display support and promote the candidates,” she said.

“We are here to canvas for them, to let them know the purpose of women, and to let them know the women are behind them.”

Jumai also expressed confidence that the APC would perform strongly in the forthcoming elections.

She described the party as the dominant political organisation in Kwara State.

Another participant, Falilat Saka, popularly known as Iya Eleja, said the gathering was organised to demonstrate solidarity with AbdulRazaq, Salihu Yakubu Danladi and other APC candidates.

Saka said women in Kwara Central intended to participate in efforts to mobilise support for the party.

“Today’s rally shows that women in Kwara Central and across the state are solidly behind Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hon Salihu Yakubu Danladi and other APC candidates,” she said.

She expressed optimism about the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

The gathering formed part of the political activities being undertaken by APC supporters as parties prepare for the next electoral cycle.

For the organisers, the rally provided an opportunity to demonstrate their involvement in the party’s election preparations and publicise the candidates they intend to support.

The event concluded with renewed calls from participants for cooperation among party members and continued engagement in APC activities.

As preparations for the 2027 general elections continue, political parties and their supporters are expected to intensify grassroots engagements across Kwara State and other parts of the country.