The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has replaced its deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 governorship election, naming Hon. Oluwaseun David Oguniyi as the new running mate to its governorship candidate, Yakubu Danladi Salihu.
Oguniyi, a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing the Ojomu/Balogun Constituency, hails from Offa Local Government Area of the state.
He is popularly known as Adato.
The development comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier listed Bello Mubarak Salau as the APC’s deputy governorship candidate for the election.
However, the decision to replace Salau with Oguniyi has sparked criticism from the 52-Youth Coalition (52-YC), which described the development as unusual.
Youth Coalition Questions APC Ticket
In a statement signed by its Secretary, Bashir Amid, the coalition questioned the decision to field two serving members of the Kwara State House of Assembly as the party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates.
The group alleged that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the APC leadership had settled on Salihu as the governorship candidate and Oguniyi as his running mate.
According to the coalition, another serving member of the state legislature could subsequently be positioned to become Speaker of the House of Assembly.
The 52-YC also raised concerns about the choice of serving lawmakers for the two top executive positions in the state, arguing that the arrangement had prompted questions about the level of executive experience available on the APC ticket.
Group Raises Concerns Over Executive Experience
The coalition further argued that the decision had excluded other qualified indigenes of Kwara State with experience in the private sector, academia and other professional fields.
It questioned whether the APC’s choice of candidates adequately reflected the range of professional experience available among the state’s residents.
The group also compared the APC ticket with that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which it identified as having Engr. Kale Kawu as its governorship candidate and Rev. Fawenu as his running mate.
52-YC Urges Kwarans to Assess Candidates
As political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 Kwara State governorship election, the 52-Youth Coalition urged residents to carefully examine the records, experience and programmes of all candidates contesting the poll.
The coalition called on Kwarans to assess the various political parties and their candidates based on their qualifications, track records and policy proposals.
The APC’s reported change in its deputy governorship ticket adds to the political developments surrounding the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State.