The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has taken a jab at Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the ruling All Progressives Congress. This follows the resignation of Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central, from the party.
In a statement released on Friday by Olusegun Adewara, the State Publicity Secretary, the PDP called Mustapha’s exit a sign of what it described as a deepening crisis and leadership failure in the Kwara APC.
Mustapha, who was part of the founding members of the APC and played a key role in the party's merger in 2013, announced his resignation in a letter dated August 14. This letter was addressed to the chairman of Gambari Ward I in Ilorin East Local Government Area.
The letter, which became public after being seen by The PUNCH on Thursday, pointed to recent happenings within the APC in Kwara State as the reason behind his choice to resign.
The next step for the senator is still unclear, but there are growing rumors that he might join the PDP. In response to this situation, the PDP stated that the resignation of such a notable senator has laid bare the divisions in the ruling party.
“Governor AbdulRazaq has failed his party just as he has failed the people of Kwara State. He now leads a party that is deeply fractured, weakened from within and increasingly rejected by ordinary Kwarans. Beyond pretense and social media appearances, the Kwara APC under Governor AbdulRazaq can no longer hide the truth: its center cannot hold,” Adewara said.
The PDP further claimed that Mustapha’s resignation is not just a typical political move but a sign that the leadership crisis in the APC has reached a serious and irreversible point.
“The resignation of Senator Saliu Mustapha is not an ordinary political event; it is a clear signal that the leadership crisis in the APC has reached a dangerous and irreversible stage. A governor who cannot unite and keep key leaders in his own party cannot be trusted with the larger job of providing stable and inclusive leadership for a state like Kwara,” Adewara added.
The PDP compared the Kwara APC to a “runaway car heading for disaster,” accusing the governor of failing to provide strong leadership for the party. “What is happening to the Kwara APC now is not just party members leaving. It is the unavoidable collapse of a party built on lies, deceit, and false images aimed at innocent families, and the harmful propaganda of 2019,” Adewara said.
“When a house is built on sand, it does not take much for it to fall apart.” The party also accused AbdulRazaq of being uneasy about the political growth of other notable figures in the state, claiming he sees them as rivals to be removed from his path.
“The problem with the AbdulRazaq-led APC is that it has been led by a governor who seems uncomfortable with the political growth of other prominent Kwara people, treating perceived political competitors as threats that must be dealt with at all costs,” the PDP stated.
Adewara also mentioned the recent resignation of the Haske of Lafiagi, Ambassador Kolo Jiya, along with other APC leaders from Kwara North. He said this shows that important stakeholders are losing trust in the governor’s leadership.
“The departure of key figures like Ambassador Kolo Baba Jiya proves that even those who helped build the APC have lost faith in Governor AbdulRazaq’s leadership,” he noted.
The PDP urged other significant members of the APC who are still in the party out of fear or reluctance to follow Mustapha’s lead. “We ask every distinguished Kwaran still stuck in the APC out of fear to find the courage and take the bold step now. Leave the skidding APC vehicle before it drives you into a political pit,” Adewara said.
The opposition party insisted that under the leadership of Bukola Saraki, the Waziri of Ilorin and President of the 8th Senate, the PDP remains a strong option for restoring good leadership and shared prosperity in the state.
Mustapha, also known as the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, said he did not take his resignation lightly. It came after weeks of discussions with stakeholders, supporters, and constituents across Kwara Central.
“After careful consideration of the recent events in the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State, I have officially resigned my membership of the party. This is not a decision I took lightly. It follows weeks of extensive consultations and discussions with relevant stakeholders, my supporters, and constituents across Kwara Central Senatorial District,” Mustapha stated in the letter.
He mentioned that his choice was guided by his belief that politics should focus on the people’s interests, principles, and a clear purpose.
“As a politician, I have always believed that politics must be about people, principles, and purpose. When a political platform no longer aligns with these beliefs and the hopes of the people one represents, the honorable thing is to find a new path,” Mustapha said.
Despite resigning, he thanked the APC leadership, especially President Bola Tinubu, for the experiences he gained during his time in the party. “To the leadership of the APC, led by H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I express my deepest gratitude for the relationships and experiences I have gained over the years,” he said.
He assured his constituents and supporters that his resignation would not change his commitment to serving the people of Kwara Central and the state. “To my constituents, supporters, political associates, and stakeholders in Kwara State and beyond, I assure you that while my political platform may change, my principles, purpose, and commitment to the people remain unchanged. I will continue to serve the people of Kwara Central, Kwara State, and Nigeria as a whole,” Mustapha stated.
This situation arises amid increasing political tension and changes within the ruling party in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 general elections. When asked for a comment, the spokesperson for the Kwara APC, Babatunde Olawale, said the party had not yet given an official response to Mustapha’s resignation. He added that the party’s stance would be communicated later.
Attempts to get a response from Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq were unsuccessful. His Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mashood Agboola, ended the call abruptly while our correspondent was still speaking.
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