The Conglomerate of Kwara State Christian Communities on Monday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider a Christian for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The convener of the Christian body, Rev. Felix Ajide, made the appeal while addressing members of the Correspondents’ Chapel in Ilorin.
He noted that the APC has Christian politicians within its ranks who possess the experience and capacity to govern the state.
Ajide hinged his group’s position on the principles of fairness, inclusion and equity in the state’s political arrangement.
He, however, clarified that the group’s request was not a call for religious politics, but an appeal for balance that would accommodate all sections of the state while prioritising competence and capacity.
He emphasised that Kwara’s political future should be shaped by the emergence of leaders with the ability, experience and broad acceptability to drive development.
“Our appeal is not about religion replacing competence. Rather, it is about ensuring that competence is given the opportunity to thrive within an inclusive political framework,” he said.
He cited findings from the Africa Polling Institute (API), which he said showed a willingness among Kwarans to support candidates based on competence rather than religious identity.
He said the survey indicated that 90 per cent of Muslim respondents were willing to support a competent Christian candidate, while 98 per cent of Christian respondents were willing to support a competent Muslim candidate.
He added that 93 per cent of respondents expressed willingness to support a good candidate irrespective of religious background.
Ajide pointed out that the findings reflected Kwara’s tradition of religious tolerance and demonstrated that voters were more interested in leadership qualities than faith considerations.
