Kwara Central Senator Saliu Mustapha has resigned from the All Progressives Congress and moved to the Peoples Democratic Party, deepening internal divisions in the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mustapha’s departure followed weeks of disagreement over the APC governorship primary and the emergence of the party’s candidate.
Another prominent APC member from Patigi, Kolo Jiya, also left the party for the PDP.
The defections came after several governorship aspirants protested what they described as the imposition of a preferred candidate by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Those allegations remain political claims by the aggrieved members.
Mustapha said his decision followed consultations with supporters, constituents and political stakeholders across Kwara Central.
He argued that politics should be driven by people, principles and purpose and said he believed a new platform had become necessary.
Mustapha maintained that his disagreement was with the management of the APC in Kwara rather than with President Bola Tinubu.
He said the coalition of aggrieved politicians intended to support Tinubu nationally while working against the APC at the state level.
The senator also rejected reports that the Presidency had endorsed the Kwara APC governorship candidate.
He thanked the national leadership of the APC for his years in the party and said his commitment to constituents would continue despite the change of platform.
Mustapha defended his record by citing agricultural equipment, electrification projects, transformers, medical facilities, school renovations and feeder roads he said he had facilitated.
He also argued that his constitutional responsibilities as a senator centred on legislation and oversight rather than direct control of the state economy.
The senator said his cooperation with former Senate President Bukola Saraki did not amount to abandoning Tinubu.
He described the emerging arrangement as a political coalition designed to alter the balance of power in Kwara.
The APC had earlier set up a reconciliation process, but the latest defections show that significant disagreements remain unresolved.
For the PDP, Mustapha’s entry could strengthen its challenge in Kwara Central and contribute to a broader effort to rebuild the party’s influence in the state.
