A former governorship aspirant for the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, has said that the ongoing fight over the party’s governorship primary is more about personal ambition than what is best for the people. He believes that political leaders should focus on the real problems facing the state instead of chasing power.
In an interview with journalists on Thursday, he expressed sadness that political conversations in the state have shifted to individual goals instead of policies that can help improve the lives of Kwarans.
Sulaiman pointed out that the current unrest from some unhappy aspirants in the G-15 group has taken focus away from urgent issues like insecurity, unemployment, poverty, and bad roads.
"I think it is rather unfortunate that we have grown men fighting like schoolchildren whose principal has denied them candy. The debate should be about the needs of our people, not about a sense of political entitlement," he said.
He added that the political leaders in the state should focus on providing real solutions to the problems the people face instead of getting caught up in disputes after the primaries.
"Kwara is one of the states badly affected by insecurity. People have vacated their villages, farmers cannot go to their farms, women struggle to go to markets, and unemployment remains very high.
"Nobody has really come out to say, ‘This is how I will tackle insecurity, create jobs, improve education, or develop infrastructure.’ The debate has become about who wants to be governor because they want to be king," he added.
Sulaiman said he has always seen politics as a way to serve people and promote development. He believes leadership should be about skill and not just ambition.
"I have never fought for any position because of self-gratification. I have always believed our people deserve better, and I have always engaged in politics based on issues," he said.
On the argument about the APC governorship primary, Sulaiman said all aspirants took part in the party’s internal process and should accept the results.
"The process was there for everybody to see. Once the game has been played and a winner declared, people cannot suddenly begin to fault the process simply because it did not favour them.
"If those complaining today had emerged through the same process, would they have rejected the nomination? I don’t think so," he said.
He argued that the G-15 members should have raised any issues about the process before the party’s candidate was announced and not after the event was over.
Sulaiman also mentioned President Bola Tinubu’s statement that APC governors would have a key role in choosing their successors. He added that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is still the recognized leader of the party in Kwara State.
"The President made it clear that governors would choose their successors. In Kwara, the governor is the leader of the party. If there were laid-down guidelines that were breached, those complaining should have pointed them out," he said.
He emphasized that politics should be a means to achieve good governance. He recalled that his campaign was based on the Kwara Prosperity Agenda, which focuses on security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and youth employment.
Despite the differences within the ruling party, Sulaiman believes that the APC will stay united as they approach the 2027 governorship election and keep their power in the state.
"When it comes to campaigns, there is nothing the opposition can say that can beat the APC at the polls. Our people are intelligent and can compare performances.
"I have seen Kwara under the PDP and under the APC. Whether it is healthcare, education, sports facilities, or infrastructure, people can judge for themselves.
"Eventually, Kwara North will come together, Kwara Central will play its role, and Kwara South will be decisive. Based on the performance of the APC and what I know about our people, I believe the party will still carry the day in 2027," he said.
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