APC Gov. Allegedly Offered ADC Candidate N100m to Withdraw
APC Gov. Allegedly Offered ADC Candidate N100m to Withdraw
Zakari Denies Claim, Says He Wouldn’t Step Down Even for N5 Billion; APC Chairman Rejects Allegation
Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq has allegedly offered the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Zakari Mohammed, N100 million to withdraw from the 2027 governorship race in support of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Salihu Yakubu Danladi.
The allegation was made by an anonymous source who claimed that the governor was concerned that both Zakari and Danladi, who are from Baruten Local Government Area, could split votes in Baruten and across the Kwara North Senatorial District, thereby weakening the APC’s chances in the 2027 governorship election.
According to the source, Zakari rejected the alleged offer, insisting that his governorship ambition could not be influenced by financial inducement and that he remained committed to the aspirations of the people supporting his candidacy.
The source also alleged that the governor had been making efforts to persuade the ADC to field a governorship candidate from Kwara Central instead, a move reportedly aimed at reducing political competition in Kwara North and affecting the electoral strength of the PDP candidate from Kwara Central.
Reacting to the allegation in a telephone interview with National Pilot, Zakari Mohammed dismissed the claim that any discussion had taken place between him and the governor.
“We’ve not spoken. It is not true. Even if he offers me N5 billion, I will not step down. I want to be governor, and I’m serious about it. By the grace of God, Danladi cannot win Baruten,” he said.
The Kwara State APC Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, also denied knowledge of the allegation, expressing confidence that Governor AbdulRazaq would not engage in such an act.
“I know nothing about that, but I believe the allegation cannot be true. The governor I know cannot do that,” Fagbemi stated.
Efforts by National Pilot to obtain the governor’s reaction through the Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Agboola Moshood, were unsuccessful. Telephone calls and WhatsApp messages sent to him were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
As of press time, neither the Deputy Chief Press Secretary nor the Office of the Governor had issued an official response to the allegations.
Source: National Pilot Newspaper
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