Despite Rift, AbdulRazaq Says Wike Will Give APC 100% in Kwara – Daily Trust

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has claimed that help for President Bola Tinubu from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, might take the All Progressives Congress (APC) to 100 per cent help in the state forward of the 2027 common elections.

This is regardless of the frosty relationship between the 2 politicians.

The governor additionally dismissed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a weakening political power in Kwara.

He argued that its declining fortunes had strengthened the APC’s place forward of the polls.

AbdulRazaq spoke on Sunday in Ilorin whereas receiving a delegation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), led by its Director-General, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.

He mentioned the APC had maintained a 70 per cent help base towards the PDP’s 30 per cent since 2019, including that the opposition had continued to lose floor.

“The balance of the equation here is 70-30: 70 per cent APC and 30 per cent PDP. And that’s consistent from 2019 until the election. Nothing has changed except that the PDP has continued to weaken,” he mentioned.

The governor argued that Wike’s declaration of help for Tinubu had additional altered the political equation in the state.

“With the national leader of the PDP being a member of our campaign council and declaring that his party, the PDP, will vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it means that the PDP 30 per cent versus our 70 per cent is now adding up to 100 per cent,” AbdulRazaq mentioned.

He consequently described Kwara as one of many best states for the APC to win.

The governor’s optimism over Wike’s help contrasts with the disagreement between the 2 males over the minister’s political actions in Kwara.

During a media chat in Port Harcourt on September 2, Wike accused AbdulRazaq of spearheading a marketing campaign towards him and mentioned he had personally confronted the governor over the alleged hostility.

The dispute is linked to Wike’s political relationships with aggrieved APC figures in Kwara, a few of whom oppose the governor’s most popular candidates forward of the 2027 elections.

Despite the stress, Wike has maintained his help for Tinubu’s re-election, distinguishing his place on the president from his disagreements with some APC governors.

AbdulRazaq expressed confidence in the APC’s governorship candidate, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Salihu Yakubu Danladi, describing him as a grassroots politician able to sustaining his administration’s programmes.

He mentioned Danladi’s legislative expertise had given him a very good understanding of the state’s funds and authorities operations.

AbdulRazaq additionally defended his administration’s document, citing developments in training, healthcare and the civil service because the APC took workplace in 2019.

“When we came in 2019, it was a challenging situation. Salaries were not paid, gratuities were not paid, pensions were not paid. That is a thing of the past,” he mentioned.

Yari mentioned the delegation visited Kwara to understand the governor’s contributions to the APC and search his continued help for the occasion’s nationwide marketing campaign.

“Your Excellency, we are here to pay homage. We know, particularly I personally know what you are doing to ensure that APC succeeds not only in Kwara but also in Nigeria,” he mentioned.

The delegation included former governors Aminu Bello Masari, Rochas Okorocha, Ali Modu Sheriff, Adamu Aleiro, Abubakar Badaru, Ibrahim Shema, Sani Yerima, Danjuma Goje, Abdullahi Ganduje and Olusegun Mimiko.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole and former lawmaker Olubunmi Ette have been additionally amongst these current.

The group later visited the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, to hunt prayers and blessings for Tinubu’s re-election and different APC candidates.