Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq underwent screening by the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Monday. The exercise was for the party's primary election for Kwara Central Senatorial seat ahead of 2027.
His Special Adviser on Political Communication, Bashir Adigun, confirmed the development on Tuesday night. "He has been screened to contest for the Senate seat in Kwara Central," Adigun told reporters.
According to the aide, victory is assured. "We are sure of landslide victory," he said.
AbdulRazaq completes his second and final term as governor on May 29, 2027. Party sources say he is the only aspirant who has obtained both nomination and expression of interest forms for the seat.
This move comes following a presidency directive allowing governors to contest for Senate seats within their parties. It has triggered fresh political calculations in the state.
Observers view the governor's Senate ambition as more than routine succession planning. Many see it as tied to broader control of the APC structure in Kwara after 2027.
At the heart of this emerging contest sits incumbent senator Salihu Mustapha. He has obtained the APC governorship nomination form.
AbdulRazaq's entry into the Kwara Central senatorial race puts him on direct collision course with Mustapha. Both men are now positioning for top positions simultaneously.
With the governor heading to the Senate and Mustapha seeking the governorship, succession politics have become intensely competitive. Sources within the party describe the situation as a battle over future control.
Inside APC circles, insiders say quiet realignments are already happening. Stakeholders are calculating which way the political winds might blow.
For AbdulRazaq's camp, the Senate offers a platform to maintain influence after 2027. They believe it will preserve his political relevance at state and national levels.
Mustapha's supporters, meanwhile, are leveraging his current Senate position strategically. He is reportedly intensifying consultations across party structures nationally and in Kwara.
These developments have revived long-standing conversations about power dynamics in Kwara politics. The coming months will likely see increased horse-trading within the ruling party.
Neither camp has publicly acknowledged rivalry. Yet party insiders confirm movements toward Senate and Government House have shifted internal APC permutations significantly.
Political analysts in the state have sounded caution about managing these ambitions carefully. They warn that poor handling could damage the party's electoral prospects.
