159 Assembly Aspirants, 16 For Governor: APC Aspirants In Kwara Spend Over N2.6Billion On Nomination Forms
159 Assembly Aspirants, 16 For Governor: APC Aspirants In Kwara Spend Over N2.6Billion On Nomination Forms
The Senate race has also attracted intense competition, with 16 aspirants said to have obtained forms valued at N20 million each.
Amid growing insecurity and rising political tension in the state, the ruling All Progressives Congress in Kwara State has witnessed a surge in aspirants seeking elective offices ahead of the forthcoming elections, with party hopefuls reportedly spending over N2.6 billion on the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.
Findings indicate that Kwara has now emerged as one of the states with the highest number of aspirants under the APC across multiple elective positions.
SaharaReporters gathered that no fewer than 16 aspirants are currently battling for the governorship ticket of the APC in Kwara State, with each aspirant reportedly paying N50 million for nomination forms.
The Senate race has also attracted intense competition, with 16 aspirants said to have obtained forms valued at N20 million each.
For the House of Representatives seats, about 62 aspirants reportedly purchased nomination forms worth N10 million each, while an astonishing 159 aspirants are said to have joined the race for seats in the Kwara State House of Assembly at N6 million per form.
The massive financial outlay by aspirants has now pushed the estimated total amount spent on nomination and expression of interest forms to well over N2.6 billion.
However, party insiders and stakeholders insist that the unusually high number of aspirants does not necessarily reflect increasing popularity or political strength of the APC in Kwara State, particularly at a time residents continue to express concerns over insecurity and governance challenges.
Rather, many members argue that the development is a symptom of deepening frustration, unresolved grievances, and growing dissatisfaction with the leadership style and internal management of the party in the state.
Several loyalists and grassroots mobilisers who played active roles in the historic “Otoge” political movement that ended the long-standing political dominance of former Senate President Bukola Saraki in 2019 say they have been abandoned and politically sidelined since the APC assumed power in the state.
Many of them complain of exclusion from political appointments, lack of compensation for their sacrifices, and what they describe as the concentration of political opportunities within a narrow circle allegedly loyal to the current leadership of the party.
Speaking on the growing discontent within the APC, some aggrieved party members said those who invested time, resources, and political capital to build the “Otoge” movement expected a more inclusive government and broader participation in party affairs.
According to them, the situation has instead become increasingly centralised, with critical political decisions allegedly being controlled by a few individuals close to the state leadership.
“The struggle that brought APC to power in Kwara was a collective effort. Many people sacrificed everything to make the ‘Otoge’ movement successful, but today only a few people are benefiting from the system,” an APC member said.
“People are angry because they believe the party structure has been hijacked. That is why everyone is now rushing to buy forms. It is beyond elections; many aspirants are using it to send a political message.”
Party insiders also argued that the absence of effective coordination, consultation, and internal regulation within the APC in Kwara has created an atmosphere where virtually every politically exposed individual now sees elective offices as open contests without harmonisation or strategic direction from party leadership.
Sources told SaharaReporters that many aspirants deliberately purchased nomination forms not only to contest elections but also as a subtle protest against the monopolisation of power and opportunities within the APC structure in Kwara State.
According to the sources, the mass participation is also aimed at resisting alleged attempts to impose preferred candidates ahead of the party primaries.
