Senator Saliu Mustapha has formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), clarifying that his decision is not a rejection of President Bola Tinubu but a direct response to how Kwara State Governor Abdul Rahman AbdulRazaq has managed the APC within the state. The senator made this known during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today programme on Friday, August 21, 2026.
G-15 and Elder Caucus Feel Alienated in Kwara APC
Mustapha explained that the G-15, a group of prominent APC figures in Kwara, along with the party's elder caucus, feel shut out from the decision-making structures that Governor AbdulRazaq controls. He drew a clear line between his personal loyalty to the presidency and his discontent with the party's state-level governance.
"I have not dumped President Tinubu," Mustapha said, emphasizing that his exit is about internal party dynamics rather than a break with the national leadership. The senator's remarks suggest the group believes it has been systematically sidelined rather than engaged by AbdulRazaq's administration of party affairs.
Defection Signals Widening Crack in Kwara APC
The defection signals a widening crack inside the APC in Kwara State, with the G-15 bloc emerging as a focal point of internal resistance against the governor's grip on the party structure. This development comes as political parties across Nigeria are reconfiguring alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections, making high-profile exits from the ruling party particularly significant.
Mustapha's move sets up a direct 2027 electoral clash with Governor AbdulRazaq, who holds the APC ticket for the same senatorial district. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and opposition stakeholders were reportedly involved in courting the senator to the PDP.
Social Media Reactions and Political Implications
Nigerians following the story took to social media to share their views. @aj_umoh wrote: "This sounds less like abandoning Tinubu and more like a growing internal rift within the APC in Kwara. The party's leadership will need to address those grievances before they widen further."
@JajiKazeemAttah disagreed, writing: "He already abandoned Tinubu with his defection." @IlorinCityBoy was blunt about the group at the centre of the dispute, writing: "The G15 area set of losers." @uyomthg questioned the loyalty of those still backing the president: "Why many of them dey support Tinubu Dem dey fear?" @BrightOhaeri struck a more measured tone: "It's a normal thing in politics." @jiggy_banton offered a harsher verdict, writing: "Bunch of selfish people."
Recall that Senator Mustapha picked the PDP senatorial nomination form on Friday, hours after announcing his resignation from the APC. Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Senator Mustapha announced his exit from the APC in a post on his Instagram page late Thursday, August 20, 2026, citing recent developments within the Kwara state chapter of the APC as the reason for his decision to leave the ruling party.
The resignation comes as political realignments intensify in Kwara ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Mustapha's defection adding fresh pressure on APC leadership in the state.
