A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State and former Nigerian Ambassador to Namibia, Olusola Ayeni, has warned that the ruling party’s chances in the 2027 general elections will depend largely on the calibre of candidates it presents for elective positions across the state.

Ayeni spoke on the sidelines of the Kwara South Stakeholders Summit held in Offa, where party stakeholders reviewed the political outlook ahead of the next election cycle.

According to him, the APC risks losing Kwara State to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party if it fails to field credible, popular and widely acceptable candidates for the governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

He urged the national leadership of the APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise competence, grassroots acceptability and political popularity over ethnic, religious or personal considerations in the selection of candidates.

“The choice of candidates across all levels will determine whether the APC retains power in Kwara or loses it to the opposition,” Ayeni said.

He warned that the opposition, led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, has continued strengthening its political structures across the state.

“The opposition are strategising day in, day out. They’re not resting. And they’re growing in leaps and bounds. Any slight mistakes from us and they’re back in power,” he stated.

Ayeni also cautioned President Tinubu against relying on advice allegedly influenced by sectional or personal interests.

“The President must be conscious of the advice he gets from people who come to him with religious, ethnic or even personal sentiments at heart. He must approach the Kwara issue with a lot of caution,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Ilorin Emirate Political Advisory Council has endorsed President Tinubu’s reelection bid and the governorship aspiration of Saliu Mustapha ahead of the 2027 elections.

The National Secretary of the council, Lt. Col. Abubakar Edun, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Ilorin.

According to him, President Tinubu continues to enjoy significant support across Kwara’s three senatorial districts, adding that his candidacy would strengthen the APC’s electoral fortunes across the state.

“What the president has done for Kwara State in the last three years is virtually unprecedented in the history of the state,” he said.

Edun added that the APC would approach the elections from a position of strength if both Tinubu and Senator Mustapha eventually emerge as the party’s candidates.

“This is why the Ilorin Emirate Political Advisory Council found the two of them worthy of our endorsement. We are unequivocal about it, and there is no going back on it despite pressure to do otherwise,” he stated.