Senator Saliu Mustapha Quits APC as Kwara 2027 Battle Intensifies

Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ending a 13-year association with the ruling party.

Mustapha announced his resignation on Thursday, August 20, 2026, in a statement explaining that his decision followed recent developments within the APC in Kwara State. This has put to end several weeks of speculations regarding his fate in the party.

His resignation represents a major political development in Kwara State, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections. Mustapha is a prominent figure in Kwara politics, and his departure could have significant consequences for the APC’s political calculations in Kwara Central.

The senator’s exit comes only days after reports that he had been considering a move to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Sources disclosed that Mustapha has been weighing options open to him following his unsuccessful bid for the APC governorship ticket. This is just as uncertainty surrounded the Kwara Central Senate seat and sundry disagreements within the party.

The speculation about his political future intensified after Mustapha was reported to have met former Senate President Bukola Saraki in Ilorin. The meeting fuelled suggestions that the senator could eventually align with the PDP and the political structure associated with Saraki, although the precise details of their discussions were not independently established at the time.

The PDP had also shown signs of being open to accommodating Mustapha. Several sources made the disclosure to Rextun City Updates that the Peoples Democratic party had dangled its Kwara Central senatorial ticket before the senator as part of efforts to strengthen its position ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mustapha’s political troubles within the APC followed his unsuccessful attempt to secure the party’s ticket to contest the 2027 Kwara governorship election. Earlier in 2026, he had formally submitted his expression-of-interest and nomination forms to participate in the APC governorship race, positioning himself among the party’s contenders to succeed Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The senator had previously maintained a strong presence within the APC and had received substantial grassroots backing for his governorship ambition. In April, a group of Kwara entrepreneurs reportedly pledged ₦100 million towards purchasing his APC governorship nomination form, describing him as a politician who had supported the state’s business community.

His resignation now changes the political equation ahead of 2027. If Mustapha eventually joins the PDP and secures its Kwara Central senatorial ticket, the contest could develop into a direct battle involving his political network, the PDP structure and the APC establishment in the district.

Reports had already identified the possibility of such an alignment as potentially significant for the state’s electoral calculations.

For the APC, Mustapha’s departure comes at a sensitive moment as the party prepares for the 2027 elections and seeks to maintain its hold on Kwara State. For the opposition, his exit could provide an opportunity to attract a prominent political figure with an established support base. The immediate focus will now shift to Mustapha’s next political destination and whether his supporters will follow him into a new party, as Kwara’s 2027 battle enters a more competitive phase.