How disgruntled G15 leaders depart Ilorin after rally as Palace visit fails to materialise
Leading members of the ‘rogue’ Kwara APC G15 group departed Ilorin shortly after their political rally on Monday, with political observers saying the development reinforced perceptions that the faction lacks a sustained grassroots presence in the state.
The rally, attended by aggrieved APC aspirants and their supporters, contrasted with the earlier #KwaraNdupe Rally, which drew thousands of APC members across Kwara and culminated in an official visit to the Emir of Ilorin’s Palace, where the party’s candidates received royal blessings.
Efforts by the G15 to gain access to the palace did not materialise after the group reportedly arrived despite an earlier police advisory that the #KwaraNdupe Rally participants would be visiting the Emir’s Palace, a development that could lead to a clash. Palace protocol also requires that official visits to the Emir be scheduled in advance and conducted in an orderly manner.
Political observers said the inability to secure a palace audience denied the group the symbolic visit enjoyed by the mainstream APC leadership on the same day.
The observers also noted that many prominent figures associated with the group travelled to Ilorin for the rally and departed immediately afterwards, a development they said has reinforced criticism that the faction is driven largely by politicians based in Abuja rather than by an active grassroots structure within Kwara State.
According to the observers, unlike the mainstream APC leadership, which has continued engagements with local stakeholders, traditional institutions, and party structures across the 16 local government areas, the G15’s principal actors left the state shortly after their event without sustained interaction with party members at the grassroots.
Speaking on the development, Shamsudeen Adabata said: “We waited for their arrival throughout the day, only for them to use us for a rally around the state before departing back to Abuja, leaving us to our fate.”
The development came as the aggrieved aspirants sustained their criticism of the outcome of the APC primaries, President Bola Tinubu GCFR, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the party’s national leadership. The group’s warning that it could explore alternative political platforms if its grievances remain unresolved has generated concern among some party members, who described the rhetoric as divisive and potentially harmful to party cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Observers also criticised what they described as repeated attacks on Governor AbdulRazaq by members of the faction, arguing that the public criticism has instead strengthened public sympathy for the Governor and reinforced support for his leadership within the party.
They further referenced campaign materials circulated by the G15 accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of “trading with Kwara,” describing the allegation as unfortunate and urging the APC national leadership to uphold party discipline in the interest of party unity.
The contrasting events of the past two days have intensified debate over the direction of the Kwara APC ahead of the 2027 elections. While the #KwaraNdupe Rally projected a message of unity, appreciation, and continuity under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s leadership, the G15 maintained its objections to the outcome of the party’s primaries.
Political analysts say the coming months will determine whether the aggrieved aspirants reconcile with the mainstream APC or continue pursuing a separate political path as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
