A significant meeting between former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, a key figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC) group known as G15, has taken place in Abuja. The meeting occurred at the headquarters of Saraki's Kursi Group, where he expressed interest in the company's industrial and mining activities. This development has sparked discussions about potential political realignments in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 elections.
The G15 group emerged in opposition to the APC governorship primary that produced Speaker Salihu Yakubu Danladi as the party's candidate for the 2027 governorship election. The group later expanded its activities under The Otoge Progressives (TOP) as its members continued consultations on the election. However, the bloc has recently suffered defections, with some of its supporters returning to the APC mainstream. Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Prince Sulaiman Abubakar, has highlighted the return of former G15 grassroots mobilisers to the party.
Despite claims of defections, members of the G15 group have disputed the notion that they have lost momentum. Former Kwara Central Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe stated that the group remains united and described its emerging political arrangement as a "Rainbow Coalition" involving different political interests. This strategy allows members to support candidates across party lines while maintaining a common position on selected political interests.
The development has become more significant with the defection of Senator Saliu Mustapha from the APC to the PDP. Mustapha, another prominent member of the G15, subsequently secured the PDP ticket for the Kwara Central senatorial district to face Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. This move has further complicated the political configuration in the state.
The Rainbow Coalition has also been linked to the wider political arrangement around President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid, with politicians from different parties participating in the emerging structure. Saraki's meeting with Seriki has attracted attention due to the former Senate president's political rivalry with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Seriki himself has a history with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, having served as Director-General of AbdulRazaq's campaign organisation in 2019 and campaign council in 2023 before differences emerged between both camps. He was initially associated with AbdulRazaq's succession plans before the governor eventually backed Danladi for the 2027 race.
There is no public indication that Seriki has joined Saraki or that a formal political alliance was concluded during their meeting. However, coming against the backdrop of the G15 defections, the Rainbow Coalition, and Mustapha's movement to the PDP, the meeting has added another layer to the political realignment ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Kwara.
Key points
- The meeting between Saraki and Seriki has sparked discussions about potential political realignments in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The G15 group has suffered defections, but its members claim to remain united and active in the state's politics.
- The emerging Rainbow Coalition allows members to support candidates across party lines while maintaining a common position on selected political interests.
