The APC in Kwara State is reportedly set to replace its deputy governorship candidate, Bello Mubarak Salau, with serving House of Assembly member, Hon. Oluwaseun David Ogunniyi, popularly known as Adato.

The reported change comes weeks after INEC listed Salau as the running mate to the APC governorship candidate, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu. As of September 20, the APC was yet to formally announce the substitution.

Ogunniyi represents the Ojomu-Balogun Constituency in Offa and, if the change is formally confirmed, would join Danladi-Salihu, who is currently Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

The development has already attracted criticism from the 52-Youth Coalition, which questioned the choice of two serving legislators for the state’s top executive ticket.

But beyond the political debate, there is a bigger accountability issue.

A governorship ticket should be examined on clear records, experience, policy programmes and understanding of the responsibilities of the executive arm.

So, as Kwara moves towards the February 6, 2027 governorship election, voters should look beyond who gets the ticket.

They should examine what each candidate has done, what they intend to change, how they plan to fund their programmes and how they will be held accountable for their promises.

That is where political choice meets policy monitoring.