AbdulRazaq Says Opposition Is Weak Ahead of Elections, APC Congress Returns State Executives

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said opposition parties are losing strength in the run-up to the next general election, while urging members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state not to become complacent.

AbdulRazaq, who also chairs the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), spoke in Ilorin after the APC state congress where party members affirmed Sunday Fagbemi and 34 others as part of the state executive.

The congress drew party leaders, youth and women representatives, and supporters from across Kwara. A delegation from Abuja led by Dr Alkali Allabe supervised the exercise.

Addressing party members after the event, AbdulRazaq said the opposition had “collapsed nationally and especially in Kwara State,” but added that the ruling party should remain focused on organisation and performance.

He said many members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had moved toward the APC, while others had joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In his view, ADC has not yet shown a strong national electoral footprint.

The governor also defended his administration’s record, saying achievements recorded in over six years of APC rule in Kwara compare favourably with the performance of previous governments over a much longer period.

His comments come as parties intensify internal alignments ahead of the 2027 cycle, with state-level congresses seen as an early test of structure, loyalty and mobilisation strength.

For the APC in Kwara, the affirmation of state executives is expected to stabilise party operations and provide a single command structure for ward and local government coordination.

Political observers note, however, that early confidence does not always translate to final outcomes in Nigerian elections, where turnout patterns, coalition building and candidate acceptance can reshape contests late in the cycle.

In that context, AbdulRazaq’s message combined triumph and caution: the party believes it has momentum, but must still maintain discipline and keep working at grassroots level.

At the congress venue, party supporters framed the affirmation process as proof of internal cohesion. Speakers at the gathering said the next phase would focus on membership expansion, voter engagement and communication around government performance.

Opposition parties in the state have not accepted the governor’s conclusion that they are no longer competitive, and are expected to step up organising efforts as campaigns draw closer.

For now, the APC leadership in Kwara appears intent on projecting unity while preparing for a contest it expects to dominate. AbdulRazaq’s core argument remains that recent political realignments favour the ruling party, but he says that advantage must be protected through continued work rather than assumptions.