The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Senator Salihu Mustapha’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not weaken the party’s prospects in Kwara Central ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party said stakeholders and constituents in the senatorial district remained committed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the APC governorship candidate, Salihu Yakubu Danladi.
Baba Gobir Abdullahi, chairman of the 193 APC ward chairmen in Kwara State, and Ibrahim Sulyman Salah, councillor representing Gambari Ward I in Ilorin East Local Government Area, declared the position separately.
Abdullahi reaffirmed the loyalty of the 51 APC ward chairmen in Kwara Central to AbdulRazaq, dismissing Mustapha’s defection as incapable of undermining the party’s strength in the district.
Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central in the Senate, hails from Gambari Ward I.
Abdullahi described the ward chairmen as the ‘engine room’ of the APC in Kwara Central, saying they were responsible for grassroots mobilisation and voter engagement.
He rejected claims that Mustapha’s victory in the 2023 senatorial election was a personal achievement, arguing that it was secured through the collective efforts of the APC, AbdulRazaq’s leadership and grassroots party members.
According to him, Mustapha’s decision to leave the APC was a personal political choice and did not reflect the aspirations of voters across Kwara Central.
He urged residents of the senatorial district not to be distracted by what he described as the ‘political tourism’ of individuals who prioritise personal interests over the collective progress of the people.
‘Do not be distracted by the political tourism of individuals who prioritise their personal comfort over your collective progress. The APC remains the only party that puts the welfare of the ordinary Kwarans at the centre of governance,’ he said.
Salah, who spoke on behalf of stakeholders from Gambari Ward I and other communities across Kwara Central, said their support for AbdulRazaq was based on what they described as the visible impact of his administration.
‘We are not here because of politics. We are here because the dividends of democracy are now visible, measurable, and touching the lives of ordinary Kwarans,’ he said.
He cited road construction, urban renewal, healthcare, education and economic empowerment as areas where the administration had, in their assessment, recorded significant progress.
Salah said 113.57 kilometres of roads had been completed in Kwara Central, while another 65.5 kilometres were under construction.
He said the projects had supported businesses, youths and vulnerable residents across the district.
Salah subsequently announced a vote of confidence in AbdulRazaq and urged the governor to sustain the pace of development, particularly by completing ongoing projects and expanding empowerment programmes for youths and women.