Following the resignation of Saliu Mustapha, the senator from Kwara Central, the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party made fun of both the ruling All Progressives Congress and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
In a statement released on Friday by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, the PDP said that Mustapha’s departure was proof of the Kwara APC’s “deepening crisis” and “leadership failure.”
In a letter dated August 14 and addressed to the chairman of Gambari Ward I in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Mustapha, a founding member of the APC and a major player in the 2013 merger that resulted in the party, announced his resignation.
His decision was based on recent happenings within the APC in Kwara State, according to the letter, which was made public.
The lawmaker’s next political move is still uncertain, although there are increasing rumors that he would think about joining the PDP.
The PDP responded to the news by claiming that the departure of a well-known sitting senator had further shown rifts inside the ruling party.
“Just as he has failed the people of Kwara State, Governor AbdulRazaq has also failed his party.
He currently leads a party that is fundamentally weak, fatally divided, and increasingly despised by common Kwarans. Adewara stated, “The Kwara APC under Governor AbdulRazaq can no longer deny the obvious: its center can no longer hold, beyond pretense and social media optics.”
Mustapha’s departure, according to the opposition party, was not a typical political development but rather a warning that the APC’s leadership crisis had reached what it called a critical and irreversible stage.
Senator Saliu Mustapha’s resignation is not a typical political development; rather, it is a clear indication that the APC’s leadership crisis has escalated to a perilous and irreversible level.
Adewara stated, “A governor cannot be trusted with the larger responsibility of providing stable and inclusive leadership for a complex state like Kwara if he cannot unite and retain the prominent leaders within his own political household.”
Additionally, the PDP accused the governor of failing to lead the Kwara APC effectively, comparing it to a “runaway car heading to doom.”
“The Kwara APC is currently experiencing more than just political migration. According to Adewara, “it is the inevitable collapse of a party built on lies, deceit, image laundering targeted at innocent families, and evil propaganda of 2019.”
“It doesn’t take much for a house built on quicksand to collapse.”
The party further stated that AbdulRazaq felt uneasy about the rise to prominence and political success of other well-known state politicians, whom it said were viewed as rivals.
The PDP stated, “The tragedy of the AbdulRazaq-led APC is that it has been led by a governor who appears uncomfortable with the political growth and stature of other prominent Kwara people, treating perceived political competitors as threats that must be eliminated from his political journey at all costs.”
Along with other APC leaders from Kwara North, Adewara cited the recent departure of Ambassador Kolo Jiya, the Haske of Lafiagi, as evidence that important stakeholders were losing faith in the governor’s ability to lead.
“Even those who helped build the APC have lost faith in Governor AbdulRazaq’s leadership, as evidenced by the movement of key stakeholders like Ambassador Kolo Baba Jiya,” he stated.
The PDP urged more well-known APC members to follow Mustapha’s lead, claiming that they stayed in the party out of reluctance or fear of the stigma attached to quitting.
“We urge all eminent Kwarans who are still stuck in the APC due to their unwillingness to leave to gather confidence and make the audacious move right away.
Adewara said, “Leave the skidding APC vehicle before it lands you in a political dungeon.”
The opposition party insisted that the PDP remained a viable platform for what it called the restoration of purposeful leadership and shared prosperity in the state, under the leadership of Bukola Saraki, President of the 8th Senate and Waziri of Ilorin.
Mustapha, who is also the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, stated that he did not make the choice to leave the APC lightly and that it came after weeks of discussions with constituents, supporters, and stakeholders in Kwara Central.
“I have formally resigned from the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State after giving due thought to the recent events in the party.
“I have not made this decision lightly. It comes after weeks of intensive discussions and interactions with pertinent parties, my supporters, Kwara Central Senatorial District constituents, and well-intentioned Kwarans, Mustapha wrote in the letter.
The senator stated that his decision was influenced by his conviction that principles, a clear sense of purpose, and the interests of the people should be the driving forces behind politics.
As a politician, I’ve always thought that politics should be about people, values, and goals.
“The honorable thing to do is to chart a new course when the path of a political platform no longer sufficiently aligns with these convictions and the aspirations of the people one represents,” Mustapha stated.
However, Mustapha thanked President Bola Tinubu and the APC leadership for the connections and experiences he made while serving in the party.
“To the APC leadership, skillfully led by H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I express my profound gratitude for the relationships and experiences I have been afforded over the years,” he declared.
Additionally, he gave his supporters and constituents the assurance that his resignation from the APC will not have an impact on his dedication to serving the people of Kwara Central and the state.
“I promise my constituents, supporters, political allies, and stakeholders in Kwara State and abroad that although my political platform may change, my values, my mission, and my dedication to the people will not.
Mustapha declared, “I continue to be unwavering in my service to the people of Kwara Central, Kwara State, and Nigeria at large.”
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the development coincides with escalating political conflict and realignments within Kwara State’s ruling party.
Babatunde Olawale, the Kwara APC spokesperson, stated that the party had not yet released a formal response on Mustapha’s resignation when reached for comment.
The party’s stance, if any, will be announced in due course, he continued.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mashood Agboola, abruptly interrupted the call on our journalist while he was still speaking, so attempts to elicit his response were fruitless.
