The Speaker of the [Kwara State House of Assembly](https://www.kw.gov.ng) and APC governorship hopeful for the 2027 election, Rt. Hon. Engr. Yakubu Danladi‑Salihu, asserted that he is the most experienced and capable aspirant to become the state’s next governor, dismissing suggestions that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has hand‑picked him as a successor.
**What prompted the statement?**
Danladi‑Salihu made the claim during a conversation with [BBC News Yoruba](https://www.bbc.com/yoruba), where he addressed allegations that the incumbent governor, [AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdulrahman_Abdulrazaq), had selected him as his preferred heir.
**How does he justify his experience?**
He pointed to his seven‑and‑a‑half‑year service as Speaker of the state Assembly as his strongest qualification, noting that the continued confidence of his 23 fellow legislators reflected his ability to lead. "If I had not measured up to the task, my colleagues — the 23 members I led for seven years — would have removed me from office. For someone to lead the legislative arm for about seven and a half years without any trouble or conflict implies that the person is highly competent," he explained.
**What criteria does he use to assess competence?**
Danladi‑Salihu argued that a candidate’s track record in public service, governance and education should be the yardstick for competence. "Among all those vying for the governorship, considering the experience I have garnered, who else has achieved what I have? I possess more experience than all of them. And regarding education, I hold all the necessary qualifications required to steer the affairs of Kwara State," he added.
**What achievements does he cite?**
He said his tenure has been marked by stability in the Assembly, a harmonious relationship between the executive and legislative branches, and law‑making that supports the state administration’s development agenda. He highlighted that the ninth and tenth Assemblies, under his leadership, remained united and focused on development, free from internal crises or clashes with the executive.
**What are his plans if elected?**
Danladi‑Salihu pledged that, should he win the 2027 governorship, he would build on the AbdulRazaq administration’s successes by attracting more investment, encouraging industrialisation and expanding agricultural development throughout Kwara State.