Political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections gathered momentum on Thursday as former Senate President Bukola Saraki was mandated by the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party to begin talks with aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress amid growing unrest within the ruling party.
The move came as a coalition of dissatisfied APC leaders, operating under the Oto Ge Progressives platform, accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of undermining internal democracy through an alleged succession plan for the state's next governorship election.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the coalition's spokesperson and former Senator, Yahaya Oloriegbe, claimed that the governor's leadership style had alienated many party members and created deep divisions within the APC.
He warned that failure by the party's national leadership to address the grievances could weaken the APC's electoral chances in the 2027 polls.
According to Oloriegbe, the coalition was formed to defend fairness, transparency and inclusiveness in the party, alleging that many stakeholders had been shut out of critical political decisions.
He further alleged that loyalists of the movement had faced intimidation, pressure and inducements in a bid to compel them to support what he described as a predetermined political arrangement.
The coalition insisted that the choice of candidates for elective offices should emerge through a transparent and credible process rather than the influence of any individual, urging the APC leadership to intervene before the crisis worsens.
Meanwhile, PDP stakeholders at a two-day meeting in Ilorin authorised Saraki to commence consultations with members of the APC's G15 bloc and other political groups as part of efforts to broaden the party's support base ahead of the next general elections.
The resolution was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the PDP Chairman in Kwara State, Adamu Bawa, and the State Secretary, Abdulrahman Kayode, after the meeting attended by party leaders, former public office holders, aspirants, women and youth representatives.
The stakeholders reaffirmed their confidence in Saraki's leadership and urged party members to prioritise unity and collective interest, noting that cohesion would become even more crucial if aggrieved APC members eventually joined the PDP.
Speculation over possible political realignment intensified later on Thursday after Saraki and members of the Oto Ge Progressives were spotted together at the Ilorin International Airport, a development that has further fuelled discussions about potential defections ahead of the 2027 elections.
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