No fewer than 105 aspirants seeking the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Kwara State House of Assembly election have been screened out by the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
The outcome of the exercise, posted at the APC secretariat in Ilorin on Thursday and seen by The ObserversTimes, showed that several sitting lawmakers seeking second and third terms were among those declared “uncleared” by the party’s screening committee.
The affected aspirants were listed in a document titled, “All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Nomination of Candidates for the 2027 General Election.”
Findings revealed that out of the 158 aspirants who obtained nomination forms for the State House of Assembly election under the APC, only 53 were cleared to proceed in the race.
Among lawmakers from Kwara Central senatorial district seeking re-election, all were reportedly cleared except the member representing Alanamu/Ajikobi Constituency, Hon. Ayishat Tundun Alanamu.
However, the situation was different in parts of Kwara South, where several incumbent lawmakers failed to secure clearance.
The two lawmakers from Ifelodun Local Government Area – Hon. Ganiyu Folabi Salahu, representing Omupo Constituency, and Hon. Owolabi Olatunde Rasaq, representing Share/Oke-Ode Constituency – were screened out despite seeking another term.
Also affected were Hon. Bamigboye Joseph, Hon. Omotosho Olakunle Rasaq and Hon. Yusuf Abdulwaheed Gbenga, representing Oke-Ero, Isin and Essa/Shawo/Igboidun constituencies respectively, as they were equally declared uncleared by the panel.
However, lawmakers from Oyun Local Government Area, including the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Ojo Olayiwola Oyebode, were also cleared by the committee.
In Kwara North, the two sitting lawmakers from Moro Local Government Area who sought re-election scaled through the screening exercise successfully.
The lawmaker representing Edu Constituency, Hon. Issa Gideon, who is currently under suspension by the House over alleged misconduct and actions said to have brought the legislature into disrepute, was also not cleared to contest for a second term.
Only the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, and the member representing Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Ganiyu Gabriel, did not obtain nomination forms for re-election to the Assembly.
Danladi-Salihu is considered one of the leading contenders for the APC governorship ticket, having undergone screening by the party in Abuja last week ahead of the primaries, which he is favoured to win.
Gabriel, on the other hand, is said to have obtained a House of Representatives nomination form to contest for the Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency seat.
Speaking before the commencement of the screening exercise, the chairman of the committee, Prof. Success Musa, said the high number of aspirants reflected the growing popularity and acceptance of the APC in Kwara State.
“I understand we have 158 aspirants for the House of Assembly alone. That is democracy. That is what the APC represents. It is the leadership shown by the chairman and our governor,” he said.
The development has reportedly caused anxiety among some incumbent lawmakers and their supporters across the state, especially those seeking second and third-term tickets under the ruling party.
The Kwara State House of Assembly currently has 24 members representing constituencies across the 16 local government areas of the state, with some councils having more than one constituency due to population distribution.
