Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Tuesday threw his full political weight behind Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, publicly naming him as his preferred successor ahead of the All Progressives Congress governorship primary slated for Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The endorsement, contained in a personally signed statement released from the state capital, Ilorin, marks a defining moment in what has been a quietly competitive race within the ruling party.
With no fewer than 16 aspirants jostling for the APC’s governorship ticket in the state, AbdulRazaq’s declaration is widely expected to reshape the dynamics of an already charged primary process.
Governors in Nigeria have historically wielded enormous influence over their party’s internal processes, and AbdulRazaq’s endorsement follows a well-established playbook, one that blends public legitimacy with grassroots political pressure.
According to the governor, his decision was not made in haste. He described it as the product of “extensive consultations with party leaders and structures across the state,” lending the announcement the air of a collective political verdict rather than a unilateral imposition.
In the statement, the governor painted Seriki as the candidate best positioned to safeguard and build upon the legacy of his seven-year administration. He described the ambassador as “young, people-oriented, astute, and broad-minded,” a portrait of a next-generation leader capable of sustaining momentum while charting a fresh course for Kwara’s development.
“The choice of Amb. Yahaya Seriki is neither a disapproval of any of our eminently qualified aspirants nor a whimsical attempt to delegitimize the noble aspirations of our people.
But in a race involving some 16 great minds for one office, only one person can take the shot at a time,” AbdulRazaq said in remarks that appeared calibrated to soften the inevitable disappointment among the remaining contenders.
Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki is not a newcomer to the corridors of Kwara’s political landscape. According to the governor, Seriki has spent years quietly but methodically building political capital, investing in grassroots mobilization across the state’s senatorial zones and cultivating a broad base of goodwill among party faithful, community leaders, and ordinary constituents alike.
His diplomatic background adds a layer of distinction to his political profile, with sources close to the APC structure in Kwara noting that Seriki has long been regarded as a consensus builder, a quality likely to prove invaluable in a party navigating the complexities of a post-AbdulRazaq era.
Despite the weight of the governor’s endorsement, AbdulRazaq was careful to note that the primary remains an open contest. All 16 aspirants retain the right to participate in Thursday’s exercise, he said, stopping short of calling on rivals to stand down.
The governor complimented his fellow aspirants, acknowledging that each had demonstrated “discipline and capacity” throughout what he characterized as a dignified internal contest. The commendation, observers note, was as much a farewell note to the other contenders as it was a tribute to their conduct.
For the APC in Kwara, the primary represents far more than a routine internal exercise. The party has held a firm grip on the state since the landmark political realignment of 2019, when AbdulRazaq led a coalition that swept out the long-dominant political machine of former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
All eyes now turn to Thursday’s primary. Whether the 15 remaining aspirants will respect the governor’s signal, seek last-minute negotiations, or press ahead in an open contest will determine not just who emerges as the APC’s flag-bearer but also the degree of influence AbdulRazaq will carry into the twilight of his tenure.
For Seriki, the endorsement is a powerful tailwind, but in the unpredictable theater of Nigerian party politics, even a governor’s blessing is never a guaranteed finishing line.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has endorsed Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor for the APC governorship primary scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2026, citing Seriki’s grassroots political investment, diplomatic experience, and capacity to sustain his administration’s achievements.
