The political crisis within the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State has widened after 12 executives of Gambari Ward 1 in Ilorin East Local Government Area resigned and moved to the Peoples Democratic Party.
The resignations came shortly after Kwara Central Senator Saliu Mustapha left the APC and joined the PDP ahead of the 2027 general election.
Those who resigned included ward chairman Aliyu Abdulhakeem and secretary Abdulwaheed Dauda Adanla.
Ten other members of the ward executive also submitted a joint resignation.
They included officials responsible for treasury, auditing, legal affairs, youth mobilization, women affairs, finance and organization.
The group said the decision followed careful consideration of what it described as the best interests of the ward.
The former executives said they intended to follow Mustapha into the PDP and align with an emerging political grouping described as the Rainbow Coalition.
Abdulhakeem thanked APC members, elders and stakeholders for their support during his time as ward chairman.
Adanla also said he would hand over official documents, records, stamps and other party property.
The resignations followed Mustapha’s departure from the ruling party after disagreements over internal political developments in Kwara.
The senator has since picked the PDP ticket to seek reelection in Kwara Central.
The latest defections suggest that reconciliation efforts within the state APC have not fully resolved dissatisfaction among some party officials and supporters. For the PDP, the movement of ward leaders alongside Mustapha could strengthen grassroots organization in parts of Ilorin East as campaigns for 2027 intensify
