The Conglomerate of Kwara State Christian Communities has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider a Christian aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State.
The Convener of the group, Rev. Felix Ajide, made the appeal on Monday while addressing members of the Correspondents’ Chapel in Ilorin. He said the request was based on the principles of fairness, equity, and inclusiveness in the state’s political arrangement.
Ajide stressed that the Christian community remained committed to peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims and would support any democratic process that produces competent, capable, and people-oriented leadership.
He explained that the group’s position was not a call for religious politics but an appeal for political balance that accommodates all segments of the state while placing competence and capacity above religious considerations.
According to him, Kwara’s political future should be shaped by leaders with the experience, vision, and broad acceptability required to drive sustainable development.
“Our appeal is not about religion replacing competence. Rather, it is about ensuring that competent individuals are given equal opportunities to emerge within an inclusive political framework,” he said.
The group cited findings from the Africa Polling Institute (API), which it said indicated that Kwarans were more inclined to support candidates based on competence than religious affiliation.
According to the survey, 90 per cent of Muslim respondents expressed willingness to vote for a competent Christian candidate, while 98 per cent of Christian respondents said they would support a competent Muslim candidate. It added that 93 per cent of respondents were willing to vote for a qualified candidate irrespective of religious background.
The Christian body said the findings reflected Kwara State’s longstanding tradition of religious tolerance and demonstrated that the electorate places greater value on leadership qualities than religious identity.
The group further noted that the APC has several Christian members with the experience and capacity to govern the state, mentioning Engr. Femi Sanni, popularly known as Araba, and Dr. Toyin Alabi as individuals with the credentials to contest for the governorship.
It maintained that giving serious consideration to a Christian candidate would promote inclusiveness, foster a greater sense of belonging among all segments of the state’s population, and further strengthen unity.
The group, therefore, appealed to President Tinubu, as the leader of the APC, to take into account the aspirations of the Christian community when decisions are made regarding the party’s governorship ticket for the 2027 election in Kwara State.