The Renewed Hope Youth Alliance (RHYA) has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may face an internal political crisis if it ignores emerging grassroots sentiment in Kwara North Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group, in a statement issued on Monday by its National Coordinator, Amb. Israel Akinola, said consultations across Kaiama, Baruten, Edu, Moro and Patigi Local Government Areas showed a strong preference for Alhaji Abdulkadir Attahiru Adamu Manko as the most acceptable APC senatorial aspirant.

According to the RHYA, political reality in Kwara North is shifting towards candidate acceptability rather than party structure alone, warning that imposition of unpopular aspirants could weaken party cohesion.

It stated that “elections are not won in boardrooms but in communities,” insisting that grassroots loyalty would determine the outcome of the 2027 polls.

The group said its assessment was based on stakeholder engagements, community-level consultations and political observations carried out across the senatorial district.

It noted that Manko’s growing acceptance was rooted in years of what it described as consistent community engagement, youth empowerment initiatives, educational support programmes and humanitarian interventions across the five local government areas.

In Kaiama, the group said many youths had benefited from his empowerment initiatives, while in Baruten, rural farmers reportedly received support during economic hardship periods.

It further stated that in Edu, vulnerable households had benefited from humanitarian assistance, while in Moro and Patigi, his engagements with traditional institutions and community development programmes had strengthened local trust.

RHYA argued that Manko’s influence was not driven by temporary political alliances but by sustained grassroots presence, describing it as a major factor that could shape electoral outcomes.

The group cautioned that ignoring such widespread local support could trigger voter apathy and internal dissatisfaction within the APC structure in Kwara North.

It warned that history had shown that imposition of candidates against grassroots preference often leads to weakened mobilisation and electoral setbacks for political parties.

While reaffirming support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, RHYA stressed that loyalty to the party must also include honest political feedback.

The group urged the APC National Working Committee, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other stakeholders to pay close attention to what it described as “unmistakable signals” from the district.

It maintained that the 2027 election would be determined by trust, acceptance and proven service records, not just party affiliation.

RHYA concluded that the APC risked undermining its political strength in Kwara North if it failed to align with grassroots sentiment, insisting that Manko currently enjoys broad-based acceptance across communities in the senatorial district.