TUNJI ADEYEMI argues why APC should consider a Christian candidate in Kwara governorship race
The publication of excerpts from Professor Dapo Thomas’ autobiography, Lagos Boy and Lagos Politics, has once again opened an important conversation about how successful political parties manage competing interests without sacrificing unity. According to the account, there was an understanding within the Lagos political family that after 16 years of Muslim governors, the next governor should emerge from Lagos East and be a Christian. Whether every detail of that account is accepted or not, the underlying principle is one that deserves attention: sustainable politics often requires deliberate inclusion.
That principle should not be lost on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he watches the unfolding political developments in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Today, the Kwara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is clearly divided between the bloc popularly referred to as the G15 and those aligned with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The disagreement has become pronounced enough for the party leadership to establish a reconciliation committee under retired Colonel AbdulWahab Ademola Lawal to restore peace before the electoral contest for governor next year.
As reconciliation efforts continue, conversations have increasingly shifted to who should eventually emerge as the APC candidate.
One of the strongest arguments currently being canvassed is that the governorship should move to Kwara North to address long-standing complaints of marginalisation. That is a legitimate political argument. Every section of the state deserves to feel a sense of belonging.
Yet inclusion should not be viewed through only one lens. If the objective is truly to heal perceived injustice and strengthen the APC ahead of 2027, then another constituency deserves equal, if not greater, consideration: the Christian community in Kwara State.
Power rotation is ultimately about ensuring that every significant segment of society feels represented. Regional balancing is one aspect. Religious balancing is another. Ignoring one while pursuing the other only replaces one grievance with another.
History offers a compelling perspective.
The last elected Christian governor of Kwara State was Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, whose administration lasted only a few months before the military intervention of December 1983 ended the Second Republic. More than four decades later, no Christian has been elected governor of the state.
By comparison, even though Kwara North continues to seek greater representation, the district has not been entirely absent from the state’s leadership history. Senator Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi, from Kwara North, served as governor during the military era in the early 1990s.
This is not to diminish the aspirations of Kwara North. Their demands deserve respect and careful consideration.
Rather, it is to suggest that if the APC genuinely wishes to make a bold statement about fairness, equity and inclusiveness, then the conversation should extend beyond geography to encompass religious representation as well.
Fortunately, the party is not short of credible Christian aspirants. Within the G15 bloc, Hon. Toyin Alabi has emerged as one of the respected aspirants. If President Tinubu and the APC leadership ultimately decide that listening to aggrieved stakeholders is essential to rebuilding party unity, Alabi represents one option worthy of consideration.
Outside the factional contest is Engr Femi Sanni, popularly known as Araba. Throughout the ongoing political tensions, he has largely maintained an independent campaign, focusing on presenting his vision for Kwara rather than becoming identified with either side of the internal dispute. His approach has allowed him to market himself as a bridge-builder at a time when the party desperately needs one.
The significance of this should not be overlooked.
Political parties often emerge stronger when they choose candidates capable of reconciling opposing camps instead of deepening existing divisions. The APC in Kwara will require such a personality if it hopes to retain its electoral dominance.
President Tinubu himself has demonstrated repeatedly that politics is not merely about rewarding loyalty; it is equally about making strategic decisions that preserve party stability and electoral success. The reported reconciliation with Babatunde Fashola before the 2011 Lagos governorship election, despite earlier disagreements, illustrates the value of choosing unity over prolonged conflict.
Kwara now presents another opportunity for similar statesmanship.
Selecting a Christian candidate would not be an act of charity. It would not amount to tokenism. Rather, it would acknowledge an undeniable reality that an important segment of the APC’s support base has waited decades for the opportunity to produce an elected governor.
Such a decision could also broaden the party’s appeal among voters who increasingly desire evidence that inclusion is more than campaign rhetoric.
Some may argue that competence alone should determine who becomes governor. They are right.
But competence and inclusion are not mutually exclusive.
The APC has aspirants who possess both.
The challenge before the party is therefore not the absence of qualified Christian candidates but whether it is willing to recognise that religious inclusion is as legitimate a consideration as regional balancing.
As the reconciliation committee continues its assignment, and as President Tinubu weighs the future of the APC in Kwara, perhaps this is the moment to ask a simple question. If inclusion justifies the argument for Kwara North, should it not also justify serious consideration for a Christian governorship candidate after more than 40 years?
The answer may well determine not only the future unity of the APC in Kwara but also whether the party demonstrates that fairness is a principle applied consistently rather than selectively.
In politics, perception matters. Justice matters even more. And when both align, parties often reap the reward at the ballot box.
Adeyemi is a Lagos-based legal practitioner and a public affairs analyst
