Christian stakeholders in Kwara State under the aegis of the Conglomerate of Kwara State Christian Communities have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider a Christian candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 Kwara State election.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Monday, the group explained that its position was based on the principles of fairness, inclusion and equity in the state’s political arrangement.
The Christian body, however, stressed that its demand was not a call for religious politics but a request for a balance that would accommodate all sections of the state while prioritising competence and capacity.
According to the group, the political future of Kwara State should be shaped by the emergence of leaders with the ability, experience and broad acceptability to drive development.
“Our appeal is not about religion replacing competence. Rather, it is about ensuring that competence is given the opportunity to thrive within an inclusive political framework,” the group said.
The Christian community, which cited findings from the Africa Polling Institute (API), said the report showed a willingness among Kwarans to support candidates based on competence rather than religious identity.
The group said the survey indicated that 90 per cent of Muslim respondents were willing to support a competent Christian candidate, while 98 per cent of Christian respondents were willing to support a competent Muslim candidate. It added that 93 per cent of respondents expressed willingness to support a good candidate irrespective of religious background.
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The community argued that the findings reflected Kwara’s tradition of religious tolerance and demonstrated that voters were more interested in leadership qualities than faith considerations.
The group also noted that the APC has Christian politicians within its ranks with the experience and capacity to govern the state, mentioning Engineer Femi Sanni, popularly known as Araba, and Dr Toyin Alabi among possible candidates with the qualities required for the governorship position.
It said the inclusion of a Christian candidate in the APC’s consideration would promote a sense of belonging among different segments of the state and strengthen unity.
The group appealed to President Tinubu, as leader of the APC, to take into account the aspirations of the Christian community when decisions are made regarding the party’s direction in Kwara ahead of 2027.
The convener of the Conglomerate of Kwara State Christian Communities, Rev. Felix Ajide, said the group remained committed to peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims and would support any process that produces competent and people-centred leadership.