The publication of excerpts from Professor Dapo Thomas’ autobiography, Lagos Boy and Lagos Politics, has revived an important debate about how successful political parties balance competing interests without undermining internal unity. According to the account, there was an understanding within the Lagos political family that after 16 years of Muslim governors, the next governor would come from Lagos East and be a Christian. Whether every aspect of that account is accepted or not, the broader lesson remains relevant. Political stability is often strengthened when inclusion is treated as a deliberate principle rather than an afterthought.
That lesson is one President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may find worth reflecting on as political realignments continue within the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The Kwara APC is currently divided between the group widely known as the G15 and supporters of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The disagreements have become significant enough for the party to establish a reconciliation committee headed by retired Colonel AbdulWahab Ademola Lawal in an effort to restore unity before preparations for the next governorship election gather momentum.
As reconciliation efforts continue, attention has naturally shifted to the question of who should eventually fly the party’s flag.
A strong case has been made for zoning the governorship to Kwara North in response to longstanding complaints of political marginalisation. That position deserves careful consideration because every part of the state should have a genuine sense of belonging within the political structure.
At the same time, inclusion should not be viewed solely through the lens of geography. If the APC truly intends to strengthen internal cohesion and address feelings of exclusion, then the conversation should also recognise another important constituency that has waited decades for similar consideration: the Christian community in Kwara State.
Power sharing has always been about broad representation. Regional balance is one part of that objective, while religious inclusion is another. Giving attention to one while overlooking the other risks creating a fresh sense of exclusion instead of resolving existing concerns.
History offers useful perspective.
The last elected Christian governor of Kwara State was Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, whose administration came to an end following the military intervention of December 1983. More than four decades have passed without another Christian being elected to the state’s highest office.
Although leaders from Kwara North continue to seek greater political representation, the district has not been completely absent from the state’s leadership. Senator Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi, who hails from the district, served as governor during the military era in the early 1990s.
This observation does not diminish the legitimate aspirations of Kwara North. Their quest for greater representation remains a valid political position deserving of respect.
Rather, it raises a broader question about what fairness should truly mean. If the APC wishes to demonstrate its commitment to equity and inclusiveness, then religious representation deserves as much thoughtful consideration as regional balancing.
The party is not without credible Christian aspirants. Within the G15 bloc, Hon. Toyin Alabi has emerged as one of the notable contenders. If the party leadership concludes that rebuilding trust requires accommodating aggrieved stakeholders, his aspiration represents one possible path.
Another aspirant, Engr Femi Sanni, widely known as Araba, has pursued his ambition without becoming deeply associated with either faction. Throughout the internal disagreements, he has focused on presenting his vision for Kwara while projecting himself as a figure capable of bringing different interests together. At a time when unity remains a pressing concern, such an approach may deserve careful consideration.
Political parties often strengthen their electoral prospects when they rally behind candidates capable of bridging internal divisions rather than deepening them. The APC in Kwara may ultimately require such leadership if it hopes to preserve its political advantage.
President Tinubu has, on several occasions, demonstrated that successful politics requires more than rewarding loyalty. It also demands decisions that promote unity and enhance electoral strength. His reported reconciliation with Babatunde Fashola before the 2011 Lagos governorship election, despite previous disagreements, is frequently cited as an example of placing party cohesion above lingering political differences.
Kwara may now present another opportunity for similar leadership.
Choosing a Christian governorship candidate would not amount to political charity or symbolic representation. Instead, it would acknowledge that a significant segment of the party’s support base has waited more than 40 years for another opportunity to produce an elected governor.
Such a decision could also strengthen public confidence in the APC by demonstrating that its commitment to inclusion extends beyond campaign messaging and is reflected in practical political choices.
Some will argue that competence alone should determine who becomes governor. That argument carries considerable weight.
Yet competence and inclusion are not opposing values. The party has aspirants who embody both.
The real question before the APC is not whether qualified Christian aspirants exist. It is whether the party is prepared to regard religious inclusion as an equally legitimate consideration alongside regional balancing.
As the reconciliation committee continues its assignment and the party leadership considers the future of the APC in Kwara State, one question remains worth asking. If inclusion justifies the call for power to shift to Kwara North, should the same principle not encourage serious consideration of a Christian governorship candidate after more than four decades?
The answer may shape not only the future unity of the APC in Kwara but also public confidence in whether fairness is applied consistently rather than selectively.
In politics, perception carries weight. Fairness carries even greater weight. When both move in the same direction, political parties often strengthen both their unity and their electoral prospects.
Adeyemi is a Lagos based legal practitioner and public affairs analyst.
