There were strong indications at the weekend that the Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) may drop the ambition of some aspirants running on the platform of the party ahead of the 2015 polls.

The indication to this emerged at the party's monthly stakeholders meeting held behind closed door at the Charity Hall of the residence of the state APC leader, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in Ilorin.

It was resolved that some aspirants especially those currently holding elective offices should jettison their aspiration while another set of aspirants who intended to return to their offices should either seek offices at state level or forget their ambitions.

The Herald learnt that the APC leadership reminded the aspirants of the need to preserve the sanctity of the party ahead of the general elections and also to avoid the party conceding some key elective offices to the opposition PDP in any case of protest votes resulting from candidates fielded eventually for the elections.

A source privy to the meeting told The Herald correspondent that the APC stakeholders were taking precautionary measures with a view to affirming the acceptability of the party in the state.

This medium learnt that the party leadership resolved that a member of the House of Representatives for Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency, Hon Moshood Mustapha, should withdraw his ambition of getting a return ticket for the seat with a promise to compensate him handsomely. Although it was not clear as at the time of this report what post Mustapha might be offered in the aftermath of the elections.

Mustapha had already bought the form of expression of interest to seek re-election in the lower arm of the National Assembly.

Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Barrister Razak Atunwa, was being primed to take over his seat, a source said.

Atunwa is representing Owode/Onire Constituency in the Asa Local Government Area of the state Assembly.

If the state APC political calculation scales through, according to a source, the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Dr Ali Ahmad, may be asked to contest for Ilorin South Constituency of the state House of Assembly where he is to be made Speaker of the state legislature.

Ahmad is representing Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

It was gathered that the ruling APC was weighing available options at its disposal in order to present formidable candidates that could face likely hurdles of the political scene expected as parties primaries draw closer.

The source said, "The state APC leadership is considering all factors to ensure that the party fielded candidates that would not disappoint it as political scene is getting messier by the day. You know in APC we are one big family, but we have to take precautionary measures.

"We are quite aware of the antics of the opposition. They know Kwara belongs to the APC, and our decision to pick candidates must be based on what people want. That is why some of the incumbent occupants of some elective offices might be dropped while some would swap positions. Those that would not return would be compensated handsomely. So there is no cause for alarm.

"The resolve was Ali Ahmad should vacate his current seat and go for the state House of Assembly to enable him take over from Barrister Razak Atunwa, who is being primed to replace Hon Moshood Mustapha. The issue is about internal democracy in our party and we don't want to joke with it. We know all eyes are on APC as the ruling party and we are not going to relent in our effort to develop the state".