Nigeria: Senator Saliu Mustapha Dumps Ruling APC Amidst Party Crisis, Eyes PDP Move

Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, has officially resigned from Nigeria's All Progressives Congress (APC). The decision follows weeks of extensive consultations with stakeholders, supporters, and constituents, stemming from irreconcilable crises within the ruling party. Mustapha stated that his departure is driven by a belief that politics should prioritize people, principles, and purpose, and when a political platform no longer aligns with these convictions, charting a new course is the honorable path.

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This is not a decision I have taken lightly. It follows weeks of extensive consultations and engagements with relevant stakeholders, my supporters, constituents across Kwara Central Senatorial District, and well-meaning Kwarans.

In his resignation notice, Mustapha expressed gratitude to the APC leadership, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the opportunities he has had. He assured his constituents and supporters that while his political platform may change, his core principles, purpose, and commitment to serving the people of Kwara Central, Kwara State, and Nigeria remain unwavering.

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As a politician, I have always believed that politics must be about people, principles and 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.

Sources indicate that Senator Mustapha is likely to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He may also secure the PDP's ticket for the Kwara Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, potentially facing the APC's candidate, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. This move comes after Mustapha's unsuccessful bid for the APC gubernatorial ticket and his loss of a return ticket to the Senate, which was secured by Governor AbdulRazaq.

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To the leadership of the APC, ably led by H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I express my deepest gratitude for the relationships and experiences I have been afforded over the years.

The senator's resignation is reportedly linked to alleged anomalies during the APC primaries in Kwara State. Despite the formation of a peace reconciliation committee, the crisis persisted, leading some aggrieved members, including Mustapha, to seek alternative political platforms to realize their ambitions. Another APC chieftain, Hon. Kolo Jiya, has also reportedly resigned and joined the PDP, potentially seeking a senatorial ticket for Kwara North.

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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.