Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and secured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial ticket for the district ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mustapha, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, formally announced his resignation from the ruling party amid growing political tensions within the Kwara APC.
In his resignation notice, the senator said the decision followed weeks of consultations with stakeholders, supporters, constituents and other well-meaning residents of Kwara State.
He said the decision was not taken lightly, adding that his political choices were guided by his belief that politics should be centred on “people, principles and purpose.”
Mustapha also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC leadership for the relationships and experiences he gained during his years in the party.
He assured his constituents that his departure from the APC would not affect his commitment to representing the people of Kwara Central, Kwara State and Nigeria.
The senator’s defection follows a turbulent period in his political career. He had contested the APC governorship primary in Kwara State but lost the party’s ticket to the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi Salihu. He subsequently failed to secure the APC’s senatorial return ticket for Kwara Central, which went to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The development had triggered speculation over Mustapha’s next political move, with reports that the PDP was considering offering him its Kwara Central senatorial ticket.
That speculation has now materialised, with reports confirming that Mustapha has secured the PDP ticket and is expected to contest the 2027 Kwara Central senatorial election under the opposition party’s platform.
His move is expected to reshape the political contest in Kwara Central, particularly as he could face AbdulRazaq, who is expected to contest the same senatorial seat on the APC platform.
The defection could also have wider implications for the political calculations in Kwara State, where divisions within the APC have intensified following the party’s primaries and ticket allocations.
Mustapha’s exit is therefore being closely watched by political stakeholders as the 2027 elections approach, with questions over whether other aggrieved APC members could follow his lead.
For now, the senator has maintained that while his political platform has changed, his commitment to his constituents and his political principles remains unchanged.
The development adds another significant twist to the evolving political landscape in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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