Kwara APC aspirant disqualifications were overturned as the party cleared all 159 Assembly hopefuls ahead of the 2027 elections

A major political reversal has emerged within the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State after the party cleared all 159 aspirants seeking tickets for the State House of Assembly ahead of the 2027 general elections, overturning an earlier screening outcome that disqualified more than half of the contenders.

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The revised screening result, signed and released in Ilorin on Wednesday, contradicted the earlier list pasted at the APC secretariat, which showed that 105 out of 158 aspirants had initially been declared “uncleared” by the screening committee.

The updated document not only reinstated all previously disqualified aspirants but also increased the total number of cleared contenders to 159 following the inclusion of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.

The dramatic reversal has eased growing tension within the ruling party after the earlier outcome sparked anxiety among incumbents and party loyalists across the state’s 24 constituencies.

Several serving lawmakers had initially appeared on the disqualification list, including Hon. Ganiyu Folabi Salahu of Omupo Constituency, Hon. Owolabi Olatunde Rasaq of Share/Oke-Ode, Hon. Bamigboye Joseph of Oke-Ero, Hon. Omotosho Olakunle Rasaq of Isin and Hon. Yusuf Abdulwaheed Gbenga of Essa/Shawo/Igboidun.

Hon. Issa Gideon of Edu Constituency, who is currently under suspension by the Assembly over alleged misconduct, was also among those first listed as not cleared.

The inclusion of Speaker Danladi in the revised list has generated fresh political discussions within APC circles.

The Speaker had earlier been linked with governorship ambitions before reportedly stepping aside after Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq endorsed businessman Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship race.

Political observers said the reversal of the Kwara APC aspirant disqualifications reflected intense internal consultations aimed at preserving party unity ahead of the primaries.

Before the screening exercise commenced on May 11, the chairman of the screening committee, Prof. Success Musa, described the large number of aspirants as evidence of the APC’s expanding influence in the state.

“I learnt we have 158 aspirants for the House of Assembly alone. That is democracy. That is what APC represents,” Musa had said during the exercise in Ilorin.

The revised clearance list now allows all aspirants across the state to proceed in the contest, effectively neutralising the earlier controversy that had threatened to deepen divisions within the party.

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The latest development is expected to reshape political alignments within the Kwara APC as consultations intensify ahead of the party primaries and the wider 2027 electoral battle.