Kwara senator joins PDP after leaving APC

Senator Saliu Mustapha from Kwara Central has picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for his district. This happened just hours after he quit the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mustapha received the PDP senatorial ticket on Friday from Issa Bawa, the party’s chairman in Kwara State. This makes him the official candidate for the Kwara Central senatorial election in 2027.

His move follows his resignation from the APC during a long-standing crisis in the ruling party in Kwara State.

Mustapha aimed for the APC governorship ticket. But the party gave the ticket to the northern senatorial district and chose the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, instead. The APC also named Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as its senatorial candidate for the central district.

Mustapha announced his resignation on Thursday through posts on his verified social media accounts. In his resignation letter, dated August 14, he addressed it to the APC Ward Chairman of Gambari Ward 1 in Ilorin East Local Government Area. He said recent events in the party, especially under its leadership in Kwara, had made him lose faith in the APC.

He explained that his decision followed weeks of talks with his supporters, constituents, and political stakeholders across the state. Mustapha joined the APC as a founding member due to his commitment to good governance, unity, and serving the people.

But he said the party’s leadership in Kwara had strayed from the principles of unity and internal democracy that the APC was built on. "I believe political leadership must be anchored on integrity, competence, accountability, and a sincere commitment to the collective interest of the people," he said.

He added, "The current leadership of the party in Kwara State has fallen short of these standards, and this has eroded my confidence." Mustapha assured his supporters that leaving the APC would not change 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 disagreements with other disgruntled APC members and the party’s leadership in the state. PREMIUM TIMES had reported growing tension within the Kwara APC after the party’s governorship primary and the resulting controversy over its National Assembly candidates.

Mustapha was one of the key aspirants for the APC governorship ticket but lost to Danladi-Salihu. Governor AbdulRazaq is the APC candidate for the Kwara Central Senatorial District.

These events sparked speculation about Mustapha’s next political step. He was also part of the G15 group of unhappy APC members, which rejected the results of the party’s primary and called for 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, have openly criticized the way the party chose its candidates. During a protest in Ilorin, Mustapha urged President Tinubu to step in.

"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 warned that the internal crisis could hurt APC's chances in the 2027 elections.

Mustapha’s move to the PDP was not unexpected. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that Mustapha and other G15 members had more political choices as efforts to settle the APC issues seemed uncertain.

The PDP had also been seen as a possible platform for Mustapha to continue his political career after losing the APC governorship ticket and facing uncertainty about his senatorial seat. The PDP’s choice to give him its Kwara Central ticket now confirms those earlier political talks.

His emergence also settles speculations about who would represent the PDP in the district. The party had been linked to other potential candidates as political talks went on.

Mustapha’s nomination sets up a direct race with Governor AbdulRazaq, who is also going for the Kwara Central Senate seat on the APC platform after finishing his second term as governor. This contest is likely to grab a lot of attention since both men are major players in Kwara politics and have worked together before.

Mustapha won a Senate seat in 2023 on the APC platform. His exit means he will now compete against the party under which he currently holds the seat. This situation could also change the overall political scene ahead of the 2027 elections, especially in Kwara Central and among the G15 members.

The senator’s defection comes at a key time for the APC, which is trying to manage the fallout from its primaries. The party’s governorship candidate, Danladi-Salihu, recognized the complaints and stated that a reconciliation committee had been set up to address them.

The APC leadership stands by the idea that its candidates came from primaries held according to the party’s rules. The Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has also publicly supported the APC candidates, praising AbdulRazaq’s administration and hoping for their success.

Mustapha’s departure means that APC’s reconciliation efforts will now face a tougher challenge. His shift to the PDP could also inspire more realignments among politicians and party members unhappy with the APC primary outcomes.

For the 2027 Kwara Central senatorial race, the immediate result is clear. Mustapha will seek another Senate term under the PDP, while AbdulRazaq will try to secure the seat for the APC. This contest is likely to be one of the closely watched political battles in Kwara as the 2027 general elections approach.