Why I left Kwara APC for PDP — Mustapha
By Juliet Umeh
Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents the Kwara Central Senatorial District, has announced his departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mustapha clarified that his defection does not signify a rejection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Recently confirmed as the PDP candidate for Kwara Central through a substitution process, Mustapha attributed his decision to a perceived lack of consultation, internal democracy, and a sense of belonging within the APC under the leadership of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
Speaking on Channels Television, Mustapha stated, “I have not dumped President Tinubu. Like the Honourable Minister of FCT said, this Rainbow Coalition has extended to Kwara too.” He emphasized that his move towards the PDP was a collective decision involving various political factions, including the Otoge Progressives, the G15, and the Elder Caucus.
He noted that members of these groups felt alienated due to the management style of the APC in the state. “We have all felt alienated from the way Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is running the APC in Kwara,” he said.
Mustapha criticized the party’s leadership for failing to consult stakeholders adequately before the recent primaries, stating that lack of engagement contributed to his departure. “If there had been proper management and a sense of belonging or consultation, we wouldn’t have gotten to this level,” he remarked.
The senator also characterized the APC primary process as flawed, referring to it as a “sham.” He raised concerns over the timeline of the primaries, questioning how results could be announced so quickly following their commencement. “You announced that the primaries will start after the Jumu’ah prayers, and the results were announced by 4 p.m. How fast can they bring the results? When would the agents have arrived for them to do the coalition? It was a sham,” he said.
Despite his shift to the PDP, Mustapha insisted that his decision was not driven solely by personal disappointment over the APC ticket. “This is not a Saliu Mustapha decision. The entire group, the Otoge Progressives, had an agreement, a meeting and sharing formula with the PDP,” he explained. He reaffirmed the coalition’s commitment to President Tinubu’s ambitions for 2027, stating, “I have not dumped President Tinubu. We are all supporting President Tinubu.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Mustapha expressed confidence in the coalition’s ability to defeat the APC in Kwara. “I can assure you that in this election we are going for, we would have defeated Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq by 12 o’clock,” he declared.
His ultimate goal, he said, is to “reset the political mood in Kwara” and promote greater consultation and inclusiveness in the state’s political landscape.
