Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central, formally collected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial nomination form on Friday, just hours after resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC). The move sets up a direct electoral confrontation with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who has already secured the APC ticket for the same senatorial district in the 2027 general elections.
PDP Ticket Presentation and Immediate Implications
Kwara State PDP Chairman, Hon Isa Adamu Baw, personally presented the nomination form to Mustapha, signaling the opposition party's readiness to adopt him as its candidate for the Kwara Central senatorial seat. This development transforms what was previously an internal APC dispute into a high-stakes, cross-party electoral showdown.
Party officials told Daily Trust that Mustapha received the PDP ticket after discussions with former lawmaker Moshood Mustapha, who had earlier been considered for the same slot. The PDP's decision to field Mustapha comes after weeks of speculation that the party was preparing to offer him a platform in Kwara Central following his fallout with the governor.
Background of APC Tensions and Resignation
Mustapha's departure from the APC follows months of tension within the party, rooted in disagreements over the governorship primary in which Speaker Yakubu Danladi Salihu emerged as the APC candidate. Mustapha was among the prominent aspirants and stakeholders who rejected aspects of that process and later aligned with the aggrieved G15 bloc.
In his resignation statement, Mustapha said the decision came after extensive consultations with supporters, stakeholders, and constituents. He argued that politics must remain anchored in "people, principles and purpose," and thanked APC leaders, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the relationships built during his time in the party. He assured his constituents that while his political platform had changed, his commitment to them had not.
Potential Wider Political Realignment
Reports had circulated for weeks that the PDP was preparing to offer Mustapha a platform in Kwara Central following his fallout with the governor. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and other opposition figures were said to have played a role in bringing him into the fold.
His entry into the PDP also raises questions about whether other members of the aggrieved APC bloc in Kwara State could follow suit, potentially reshaping the political landscape in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
