Senator Saliu Mustapha of the Kwara Central District has picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the district, hours after resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mustapha received the PDP senatorial ticket on Friday from the party’s Kwara State Chairman, Issa Bawa, formally making him the party’s candidate for the Kwara Central senatorial election in 2027.
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The development follows his resignation from the APC amid a prolonged crisis within the ruling party in Kwara State.
Mustapha had run for the APC governorship ticket. Still, the party decided to give the ticket to the state’s northern senatorial district, eventually nominating the state House of Assembly speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.
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The ruling party also nominated Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as its senatorial candidate for the central district.
Mustapha announced his resignation on Thursday through statements shared on his verified social media handles.
In his resignation letter dated 14 August and addressed to the APC Ward Chairman of Gambari Ward 1 in Ilorin East Local Government Area, the senator said recent developments within the party, particularly under its leadership in Kwara, had eroded his confidence in the APC.
He said his decision followed weeks of consultations with his supporters, constituents and political stakeholders across the state.
Mustapha leaves APC
Mustapha said he joined the APC as a founding member because of his commitment to good governance, unity, and service to the people.
He, however, said the party’s leadership in Kwara had departed from the principles of unity and internal democracy on which the APC was founded.
“I believe political leadership must be anchored on integrity, competence, accountability, and a sincere commitment to the collective interest of the people,” he said.
“The current leadership of the party in Kwara State has fallen short of these standards, and this has eroded my confidence.”
The senator also assured his supporters that leaving the APC would not affect his commitment to Kwara Central and the state.
“To my constituents, supporters, political associates and stakeholders in Kwara State and beyond, I assure you that while my political platform may change, my principles, purpose, and commitment to the people remain unchanged,” he said.
His resignation came after months of disagreement between him and other aggrieved APC stakeholders, as well as the party’s leadership in the state.
From APC’s crisis to PDP’s
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported the growing tension within the Kwara APC following the party’s governorship primary and the subsequent controversy over its National Assembly candidates.
Mustapha was among the prominent aspirants who contested the APC governorship ticket but lost to Danladi-Salihu.
Governor AbdulRazaq is the APC candidate for the Kwara Central Senatorial District.
The developments fuelled speculation about Mustapha’s next political move.
He was also part of the G15 coalition of aggrieved APC stakeholders, which rejected the outcome of the party’s primary and demanded intervention from President Bola Tinubu and the APC national leadership.
Members of the group, including Mustapha, Deputy Senate Leader Lola Ashiru and Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, had publicly criticised the process through which the party’s candidates emerged.
At one of the protests in Ilorin, Mustapha called on President Tinubu to intervene.
“We are protesting because we are not happy with the way the party’s leadership handled the process that produced the candidates. We are not against anyone, but the process lacked fairness and inclusiveness,” he said.
The group had also warned that the internal crisis could undermine APC’s chances in the 2027 elections.
Defection was expected
The senator’s move to the PDP did not come as a surprise.
PREMIUM TIMES had previously reported the widening political options available to Mustapha and other members of the G15 as efforts to resolve the APC dispute appeared increasingly uncertain.
The PDP had also emerged as a possible platform for the senator to continue his political career after losing the APC governorship ticket and facing uncertainty about his senatorial seat.
The PDP’s decision to hand him its Kwara Central ticket now confirms those earlier political calculations.
His emergence also ends speculations over who would fly the PDP flag in the district.
The party had previously been linked with other possible candidates for the seat as political negotiations continued.
Fresh contest
Mustapha’s emergence sets up a direct contest with Gov AbdulRazaq, who is seeking the Kwara Central Senate seat on the APC platform after completing his second term as governor.
The contest is likely to attract significant attention because both men are prominent figures in Kwara politics and have previously operated within the same political platform.
Mustapha was elected to the Senate in 2023 on the APC platform.
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His departure means that he will now challenge the party under which he currently holds the seat.
The development could also reshape the broader political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly in Kwara Central and among members of the G15.
Wider implications
The senator’s defection comes at a critical point for the APC, which has been attempting to contain the fallout from its primaries.
The party’s governorship candidate, Danladi-Salihu, has acknowledged the grievances and said a reconciliation committee had been established to address them.
The APC leadership has maintained that its candidates emerged from primaries conducted in line with the party’s guidelines.
The Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has also publicly endorsed the APC candidates, praising AbdulRazaq’s administration and praying for their success.
Mustapha’s departure, however, means that APC’s reconciliation efforts now face a more difficult test.
His move to the PDP could also encourage further realignment among politicians and party members who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the APC primaries.
For the 2027 Kwara Central senatorial contest, the immediate consequence is clear. Mustapha will seek another term in the Senate under the PDP, while AbdulRazaq will attempt to secure the seat for the APC.
The contest is therefore likely to become one of the closely watched political battles in Kwara ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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