Only a third force can liberate Kwara State in the 2027 general elections, says Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress.

Oyedepo was a leading member of the ‘Otoge Revolutionaries’ who swept the Peoples Democratic Party government out of power in 2019 and installed the ruling All Progressives Congress in Kwara State,

In an exclusive interview with DAILY POST in Ilorin on Tuesday, he said with the deep acrimony and visible division in the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state, the hope of the party remains very slim, because the majority of the members could for other political parties.

Oyedepo, who was one of the vocal members of the revolution alleged that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq betrayed the trust invested in him, saying,  ‘but I have no regret personally, though this is not what we worked for’.

“We used the revolution to liberate the people of the state but the APC national leadership imposed Governor Abdulrazaq on Kwara APC.

“I went to about 30 leaders of the party in 2024 in the state to warn that Governor Abdulrazaq would ruin all of us unless we check him, but they did not listen to me and what I predicted in 2024 is coming to reality.

“The governor has given his consent to those he prefers and it could be the end of APC in Kwara,” he declared.

Oyedepo said, “though I am in African Democratic Congress, as the Senatorial candidate for Kwara South Senatorial District, the crisis may be an opportunity for the Peoples Democratic Party and it may not be, if APC is rejected.

The former state commissioner, however, argued that “sensible people in the APC should not embrace PDP because they are almost the same since dynastic governance is common to the two parties.”

He advised the electorate to look for a party that has no godfather and is not dynastic if Kwara must be liberated and allowed to grow and develop as a second generation state.

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has rejected comments by former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, dismissing the electoral prospects of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kwankwaso said he was disappointed by Sheriff’s remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, where the former Borno governor claimed that Northerners would not vote for Obi.

“After a prolonged absence from public discourse, one would have expected that time away might have sharpened Senator Sheriff’s judgment. Regrettably, that does not appear to be the case,” Kwankwaso said.

He faulted Sheriff for presenting himself as the voice of Northern voters, insisting that Obi had already demonstrated considerable acceptance in the region during the 2023 presidential election.

“It is curious that he has appointed himself spokesperson for the Northern masses.

“For the record, in his first outing on the presidential ballot, Mr. Obi secured approximately 2.8 million votes in the region—a remarkable achievement that cannot be dismissed lightly,” he stated.

Kwankwaso also argued that the prevailing economic situation and dissatisfaction with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration had strengthened the prospects of the NDC’s presidential ticket.

“Given the current national hardships, the widespread consensus on the failure of the APC administration, and the addition of a strong Northern figure to the ticket who previously garnered 1.45 million votes in the region, the OK ticket remains a formidable force in Northern politics,” he said.

Responding to Sheriff’s claim that Kano voters would not support Obi, Kwankwaso described the assertion as inaccurate and defended the political disposition of the state’s electorate.

“Let me state clearly: the good people of Kano are neither bigoted nor xenophobic. They have consistently demonstrated strong trust in the Kwankwasiyya movement and will support any credible ticket presented under its banner,” he said.

The former Kano State governor urged Sheriff to concentrate on addressing the security and humanitarian challenges confronting Borno State rather than making what he described as divisive political comments.

“I respectfully advise Senator Sheriff that, in future national television appearances, he would do better to speak to the serious insecurity and humanitarian challenges facing his home state, rather than making divisive and poorly considered remarks,” Kwankwaso stated.

He maintained that the NDC’s “OK ticket” offers “the best opportunity for Nigerians to reset the country and place it on a path of competence, unity, and progress” ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The Zamfara State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has reacted to the defection of Dr Aslam Aliyu to the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying she was not a duly registered member of the party in the state.

Aliyu, an ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had announced her resignation from the ADC, saying the party lacked a concrete plan to address Nigeria’s challenges.

However, in a statement issued by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Abdulhakeem Umar, the ADC said its records showed that Aliyu neither possessed a valid membership card nor was she formally registered as a member in Zamfara State.

The party maintained that her defection would not affect its leadership, structure or operations in the state.

According to the statement, the ADC remains committed to working with loyal and duly registered members who share its vision and are prepared to contribute to the party’s growth.

It also stated that anyone not committed to the party’s constitution, ideals and objectives was free to leave.

“We also wish to make it clear that any other person who is not genuinely committed to the ideals, Constitution, and objectives of the ADC is free to follow the same path. 

Our focus is on building a disciplined, united, and principled political party with members who are dedicated to its progress.