2027 BATTLE LINES: NILDS DG Fires Warning Shot — “Zoning Kwara North Could Cost APC Victory

2027 BATTLE LINES: NILDS DG Fires Warning Shot — “Zoning Kwara North Could Cost APC Victory

 ....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, has sounded a strong note of caution to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over growing calls to zone the APC governorship ticket to Kwara North ahead of the 2027 elections.

As internal conversations intensify within the ruling party on power rotation for inclusivity and balance, Suleiman stepped into the debate with a clear message: sentiment must never override strategy.

While acknowledging that zoning and power rotation remain vital tools in managing political diversity, the NILDS boss stressed that electoral reality must take center stage.

“I am not opposed to zoning or the argument of ‘our turn,’” he stated, “but the real issue is whether such a decision guarantees electoral success.”

According to him, political parties do not gamble with power. Decisions of this magnitude, he noted, are guided by hard data — voter strength, political structures, and historical performance at the polls.

“No serious political party zones to an area where it lacks clear competitive advantage,” he warned.

Drawing from recent history, Suleiman pointed to the 2023 general elections, where the PDP’s strategic misstep cost them dearly. He noted that the opposition has since recalibrated, shifting its focus back to Kwara Central in pursuit of electoral strength.

Addressing agitations from Kwara North stakeholders, he described their demands as valid and understandable. However, he maintained that fairness must be balanced with political viability.

He cautioned that decisions driven purely by emotion, obligation, or pressure could expose the APC to avoidable defeat.

In closing, Suleiman urged party leaders, including the president and the governor, to approach the zoning debate with clear-eyed political calculation.

“It is dangerous to take a position that does not put the party in a strong position to win,” he concluded.