Mustapha Bags PDP Senatorial Ticket Hours After Quitting APC

The Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, has been handed the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket for his senatorial district, just hours after formally announcing his exit from the All Progressives Congress.

A video sighted by PUNCH Online on Friday showed the ticket being presented to Mustapha by the PDP’s Kwara State Chairman, Issa Bawa, officially confirming him as the party’s candidate for the district ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The move came shortly after Mustapha, who also holds the traditional title of Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, announced his resignation from the APC, citing internal developments within the party’s Kwara State chapter.

In a resignation letter obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, the senator explained that his decision followed weeks of consultations with stakeholders, supporters, constituents, and other well-meaning Kwarans.

He said his choice to leave the APC was rooted in his belief that politics should be guided by the interests of the people, by principle, and by a clear sense of 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,” he stated.

Mustapha expressed appreciation to the APC leadership, led by President Bola Tinubu, for the relationships and experiences gained during his time in the party, while assuring his constituents that his defection would not alter his commitment to serving Kwara Central.

“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,” he said.

PUNCH Online had reported on August 10 that tensions within the Kwara APC had worsened, with indications that Mustapha was weighing a move to the PDP after losing the party’s governorship primary, failing to secure its Kwara Central senatorial ticket, and amid growing friction within the party ahead of 2027.

At the time, sources said the PDP’s Kwara Central ticket was being held open for Mustapha, a suggestion reinforced when the party’s then senatorial candidate, Yinka Otukoko, appeared willing to step aside.

Responding to a post by APC Kwara South senatorial aspirant Nurudeen Adeyemi on the WhatsApp platform “Kwara Commission,” Otukoko wrote that his ticket was available for either Mustapha or another politician, Mashood Mustapha  a comment many read as a sign the PDP was ready to welcome Saliu Mustapha if he left the APC.

Speculation deepened further on August 12 when billboards featuring former federal lawmaker Mashood Mustapha, popularly known as MM, appeared across the state, fuelling debate over who would ultimately clinch the PDP ticket. A senior PDP source at the time said MM’s name had been informally pencilled in, though the final decision rested with the party.

With Saliu Mustapha now formally holding the PDP’s ticket for Kwara Central, attention turns to what is expected to be a fiercely contested race against Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the APC’s candidate for the seat, in the 2027 general elections.

The outcome is likely to carry broader significance for the political balance in Kwara State as the state heads into the 2027 governorship and House of Assembly elections.