An influential chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State has stirred fresh debate within the ruling party over how its governorship nomination ahead of the 2027 election should be handled, urging a shift away from zoning and towards merit‑based selection. Isaac Adeyemi, speaking in an interview on Friday, rejected the growing push in some quarters to allocate the party’s ticket to specific senatorial districts, insisting that such an approach could deepen fault lines within the party and undermine its competitive edge.
Adeyemi argued that the time has come for the APC to open its governorship contest to all qualified aspirants across the state, saying competence should be the foremost criterion in choosing a candidate. He described the current clamor for zoning — especially calls for rotation of the governorship to Kwara North — as unnecessary and not grounded in the state’s political history. “Let everybody be involved in the selection of who represents them and don’t close doors on some aspirants,” he said, emphasizing that leadership capacity matters more than geographical origin.
Rejecting the idea that zoning is part of Kwara’s political DNA, Adeyemi pointed out that past contests, including the 2023 election, saw candidates from different senatorial districts compete without formal zoning agreements. He cautioned that imposing a zoning arrangement now could sideline competent contenders from other regions and fuel division within the party at a time when unity is key.
The APC stalwart also voiced concern over what he called the increasing politicization of traditional institutions. Recent endorsements by some monarchs in the state, he suggested, risk dragging respected cultural leaders into partisan politics — a trend he believes could undermine their traditional role and jeopardize communal harmony.
While acknowledging some government achievements in infrastructure, particularly in Kwara Central, he urged that future contracts and opportunities should prioritize indigenes from all parts of the state to foster inclusiveness. He also noted that party activities need to be more politically substantive rather than focused on social niceties like birthday greetings.
Adeyemi’s comments come against a backdrop of wider discussion within Kwara politics, with various stakeholders voicing diverse views on the relevance of zoning. Many party figures and local leaders have echoed sentiments that the governorship contest should remain open and competitive, pointing out that Kwara’s political past does not reflect entrenched power‑sharing arrangements. These voices have stressed that competence and capacity should guide leadership choices, rather than rigid adherence to rotating tickets among districts.
As the APC grapples with internal positioning ahead of 2027, debates over zoning and merit are likely to remain central, with voices like Adeyemi’s calling for a broader, more inclusive nomination process that prioritizes ability and vision for the state’s future.