Kwara: Sen. Mustapha quits APC, picks PDP senatorial ticket

Kwara senator picks PDP senatorial ticket hours after dumping APC

The Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, has picked the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket for the district, hours after announcing his resignation from the All Progressives Congress.

Senator Saliu Mustapha

In a video sighted on Friday, the ticket was handed over to Mustapha by the Kwara State Chairman of the PDP, Issa Bawa, formally confirming him as the party’s candidate for the district ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development came barely hours after Mustapha, who is also the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, announced his resignation from the APC, citing recent developments within the party in Kwara State.

In a letter obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, the senator said his decision followed weeks of consultations with stakeholders, supporters, constituents and other well-meaning Kwarans.

Mustapha said his decision to leave the APC was guided by his belief that politics should be driven by the interests of the people, principles and a clear sense of purpose.

“Where the path of a political platform no longer sufficiently aligns with these convictions and the aspirations of the people one represents, the honourable thing to do is to chart a new course,” he said.

The senator thanked the APC leadership, led by President Bola Tinubu, for the relationships and experiences he gained while in the party.

He also assured his constituents and supporters that his change of political platform would not affect his commitment to serving the people of Kwara Central.

“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, my purpose and my commitment to the people remain unchanged,” Mustapha said.

It was earlier reported on August 10 that the crisis rocking the Kwara State chapter of the APC had deepened, with Mustapha said to be considering a defection to the PDP.

The senator was reported to have been weighing his political options following his defeat in the party’s governorship primary, his inability to secure the APC’s Kwara Central senatorial ticket and growing disagreements within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the time, sources told our correspondent that the PDP’s Kwara Central senatorial ticket was being reserved for Mustapha.

The speculation gained further momentum after the party’s then Kwara Central senatorial candidate, Yinka Otukoko, appeared to suggest that he was willing to relinquish the ticket.

Responding to a post by an APC Kwara South senatorial aspirant, Nurudeen Adeyemi, on the popular WhatsApp platform, ‘Kwara Commission’, Otukoko wrote, “My ticket is for either Saliu Mustapha of G15 or Mashood Mustapha.”

Party insiders interpreted the statement as an indication that the PDP was prepared to accommodate Mustapha should he decide to leave the APC.

The political atmosphere intensified further on August 12 following the emergence of billboards bearing the image and messages of former federal lawmaker, Mashood Mustapha, popularly known as MM, sparking speculation over who would eventually emerge as the PDP candidate.

A senior PDP stakeholder, who spoke on condition of anonymity at the time, had said that discussions were ongoing within the party and mentioned Mashood Mustapha as a possible candidate.

“Barring any last-minute changes, MM’s name has been pencilled down for the position. However, the final decision remains with the party,” the source said.

However, the latest development has altered the political calculations surrounding the race, with Saliu Mustapha now formally holding the PDP ticket for the Kwara Central Senatorial District.

His emergence sets the stage for what is expected to be a keenly contested battle against Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the APC candidate for the district, in the 2027 general elections.

The outcome of the contest is expected to have wider implications for the balance of political influence in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Credit- Punch