Hakeem Lawal, who was the Social Democratic Party's (SDP) governorship candidate in Kwara State in 2023, has officially reaffirmed his allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. Lawal, the son of the late former Kwara State Governor, Muhammad Lawal, made this declaration on Saturday in Ilorin. He threw his weight behind the current Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the APC's chosen candidate for the governorship, Yakubu Salihu-Danladi.

This move comes a few months after Lawal decided to return to the APC, a party he'd previously left to contest the 2023 governorship election under the SDP banner. He admitted that he'd intentionally kept his political leanings quiet recently, despite many people wondering where he stood. “I’ve been silent all the while and people have been asking where I belong, but I belong to APC,” Lawal stated at the event. He added a confident prediction for his party: “For the opposition, let them remain in opposition for 40 years; for us, we will keep winning.”

Lawal also extended an olive branch to APC members who may have become disgruntled and left the party. He encouraged them to return, suggesting that political opportunities would eventually present themselves to loyal party members at the right time. “Some people have tasted both and they can see the difference,” he noted. “Let all of us come back to the party and work for victory. It's by turn; we will all benefit.”

The event where Lawal made his declaration was organised to bring together both long-standing and new members of the APC political family. The aim, according to Lawal, was to preserve the party's heritage, allow members to reflect on their political journeys, and chart a common path forward as the 2027 elections approach. He reminded attendees that the APC had governed Kwara State until 2003. The party then spent 16 years in opposition before regaining power in 2019. He stressed the importance of unity among stakeholders as the current administration nears the end of its term.

Addressing rumors about a rift between the APC's governorship candidate, Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, and his running mate, Kayode Alabi, Lawal dismissed such reports outright. He labelled them as mere propaganda and speculative chatter circulating on social media. “All that is propaganda. All that is social media talk. Don’t follow social media talk,” he advised, urging members to disregard unsubstantiated online claims.

Lawal commented on the status of a group known as the G15 within the APC. He described the members of this group as family and an essential part of the APC, assuring that any disagreements they might have would be resolved through dialogue. “G15, they are our brothers. They are part of us. We are all together; we're in this struggle together,” he affirmed.

He acknowledged that disagreements are a natural part of any political family. However, Lawal expressed strong confidence that the APC would successfully navigate these internal differences and maintain unity heading into the crucial elections. “We've had misunderstandings in the past, we resolved them, and this will be no different from any other one. We will resolve it and move forward together,” he said.

Lawal also took the opportunity to identify President Bola Tinubu as the paramount national leader of the APC and Governor AbdulRazaq as the undisputed leader of the party within Kwara State. He accused opposition parties of trying to exploit any internal APC disputes for their own political gain. Yet, he pointed out that the party had faced similar internal challenges before and had always managed to overcome them.

Speaking at the same gathering, Abdullahi Samari, the APC State Deputy Chairman, echoed the sentiment of party strength. He acknowledged that the party was facing some difficulties but maintained that the APC was still firmly in control. He expressed certainty that these issues would be resolved well before the 2027 elections. “Things will be better than this before election. It's a tough time for our party. But we will win the election because we're still in charge,” Samari stated.

He also advised party members against confronting those who are aggrieved or have left the APC, urging them instead to persuade them to return to the fold. “When you see those who have left, don’t fight them, persuade them to come back,” he added.