A political scientist and former senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Ilorin, Dr. Abubakar Lasiele, has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) made a major political miscalculation by fielding governorship candidates from the same Local Government Area in Kwara State.
Dr. Lasiele said the development amounts to an “own goal” for both parties, arguing that the two candidates would end up splitting votes within the same political base while leaving other politically strategic districts relatively open.
He spoke on the sidelines of the annual dinner and award night organised by the Third Estate, an elite group on Wednesday night in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
“I don’t see any political sense in the APC and ADC picking their candidates from the same local government area. No matter how you look at it, it is already an own goal for them,” he said.
“Both Engr. Yakubu Danladi and Hon. Zakari Mohammed are from Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State. They are both strong grassroots politicians in the area. What this means is that they will naturally divide the votes coming from there.”
