The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Senator Abdulaziz Yari, on Sunday led a high-powered delegation of party leaders to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to seek their blessings and counsel ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The visits, according to an official statement from the Council, formed part of efforts to strengthen engagement with traditional institutions and promote mutual understanding as the APC prepares for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The delegation, which included former APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari; former Kebbi State Governor, Adamu Aliero; former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff; former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha; and former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima, first visited the Emir of Ilorin in Kwara State before proceeding to Ile-Ife, Osun State, to meet the Ooni.
Other members of the delegation included former Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; former Gombe State Governor, Danjuma Goje; former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh; and former Speaker, Dimeji Bankole.
The APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, and Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi were also among the dignitaries, alongside other party leaders.
The Council said the consultations were intended to seek the prayers, blessings and guidance of the traditional rulers, stressing that the visits were not designed to solicit political endorsements or mobilisation support.
It described traditional institutions as important stakeholders in promoting peace, unity and stability, noting that their counsel remained valuable to the country’s democratic process.
At the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, the APC leaders expressed confidence in the party’s political standing in Kwara State, citing developments in education, healthcare and other sectors since 2019.
They referenced the establishment of new hospitals and reforms in public service delivery as part of the developments they believed would feature prominently in the party’s engagement with voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
The delegation also estimated the APC’s support base in the state at about 70 per cent, compared with 30 per cent for the opposition. The figures were presented by the party leaders and were not independently verified.
The leaders further expressed optimism that the party could build on its political activities in Kwara to strengthen its national campaign, citing the strategic position of the state and the role of its governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
The visit to the Emir of Ilorin was followed by a trip to Ile-Ife, where the delegation paid homage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.
The Council said the engagements marked the beginning of a wider consultative exercise involving traditional rulers and political stakeholders across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the statement, the consultations would provide opportunities for the campaign leadership to engage influential stakeholders, build understanding and seek their prayers as the party prepares for its forthcoming political activities.
The visits come as political parties and their campaign organisations begin preparations for the 2027 elections, with the APC seeking to consolidate support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to engaging relevant stakeholders across the country, adding that traditional institutions remained important partners in promoting peaceful political participation and national cohesion.
Source: Politics Archives – New Telegraph
