The Conglomerate of Kwara State Christian Communities on Monday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider a Christian candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in 2027.

The group, on Monday, told members of the state Correspondents’ Chapel in Ilorin, that its quest was in the principles of fairness, inclusion and equity in the state’s political arrangement.

It, however, stressed that its demand was not a call for religious politics, but a request for a balance that would accommodate all sections of the state, regretting that the first and the last time the state was governed by a Christian was during Theophillus Bamigboye’s time.

According to the group, “Kwara’s political future should be shaped by the emergence of leaders with the ability, experience and broad acceptability to drive development.

“Our appeal is not about religion replacing competence. Rather, it is about ensuring that competence is given the opportunity to thrive within an inclusive political framework,” the group said.

The Christian community cited findings from the Africa Polling Institute (API), which it said showed a willingness among Kwarans to support candidates based on competence rather than religious identity.

The group, led by Rev Felix Ajide, said a survey indicated that 90 per cent of Muslim respondents were willing to support a competent Christian candidate, while 98 per cent of Christian respondents were willing to support a competent Muslim candidate. It added that 93 per cent of respondents expressed willingness to support a good candidate irrespective of religious background.

They argued that: “the findings reflected Kwara’s tradition of religious tolerance and demonstrated that voters were more interested in leadership qualities than faith considerations.”

The group also noted that the APC has Christian politicians in its ranks with the experience and capacity to govern the state, mentioning Engr. Femi Sanni (Araba), and Dr. Toyin Alabi among possible candidates with the qualities required for the governorship position.

It said the inclusion of a Christian candidate in the APC’s consideration would promote a sense of belonging among different segments of the state and strengthen unity.

The group appealed to Tinubu to consider the aspirations of the Christian community when decisions are made regarding the APC’s direction in Kwara State ahead of 2027.

The Convener said the group remained committed to peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims and would support any process that produces competent and people-centred leadership.