Nigeria: Senator Mustapha Defects Alone, APC Structure Intact - Kwara Central APC 51 Ward Chairmen

27 August 2026
Leadership (Abuja)

We the 51 Ward Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara Central Senatorial District, speaking on behalf of our formidable grassroots base, wish to address the recent defection of Senator Salihu Mustapha with the clarity, firmness, and political reality it deserves.

We are the engine room of the APC in Kwara Central. We are the ones who walk the streets, visit the households, and mobilise the voters who ensured the victory of our party including Senator Salihu Mustapha in the 2023 general elections.

Let it be clearly understood, the electoral victory of 2023 was a triumph of the APC's ideology, the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the collective resilience of our grassroots members and stakeholders and not a personal achievement or by personal endeavour.

Let us ask, If the political family the Senator is defecting to today were truly solid or capable of delivering votes, why didn't they deliver the votes in 2023? Their failure at the polls is proof that the electorate rejected them then, and the people of Kwara Central will reject them even more.

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We find the Senator's current political posturing confusing. If he truly believed he was the most popular choice or a "favorite" candidate among the people of Kwara, why is he retreating to seek a Senate seat? Why did he not challenge for the governorship? The answer is simple: He knows that the people of Kwara recognise the transformative, data-driven, and equitable governance of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

He knows that the APC is the only home for those who truly care about the development of our state and who subscribe to justice, equity and Fairness.

Senator Mustapha's departure is a personal choice not a reflection of the aspirations or desires of the grassroots electorate. He has chosen to abandon the platform that gave him the opportunity to serve, in favour of a political house that has consistently proven itself unable to win the trust of the Kwara people. He leaves alone, the structure of the APC remains fully intact, vibrant, and united behind our leader.

We hereby pass a unanimous Vote of Confidence in His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq: For his exemplary leadership, which has moved Kwara from the era of consumption to an era of investment, infrastructure, and inclusion. Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi: Whose legislative leadership has complemented the Governor's executive vision, ensuring the stability and progress of our state.

We remain committed to working day and night to ensure the overwhelming victory of all APC candidates in the upcoming elections.

To the people of Kwara Central, 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. We are the APC. We are the grassroots. And we are moving forward.

Being the text of a press conference addressed in Ilorin on Thursday by Baba Gobir Abdullahi, chairman, Gambari Ward II and chairman of all the 193 wards APC chairmen, Kwara State.

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