Saliu Mustapha: I’ll Defeat AbdulRazaq Before 1pm on election day

Senator Saliu Mustapha, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 Kwara Central Senatorial election, is confident that he will defeat the incumbent Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Speaking to Channels Television, Mustapha declared that he would have secured victory well before the final results are announced. He made this assertion while discussing his recent shift from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the PDP and the broader political realignment within the ruling party in Kwara.

When asked about the possibility of Governor AbdulRazaq outpacing him, Mustapha humorously stated, "I would have won that election 12 o’clock before 1 o’clock, In Sha Allah in the senatorial race. It will be one election Nigerians would be waiting to see the results." The former APC chieftain, now the PDP candidate, emphasized that his move to the opposition party was part of a broader "rainbow coalition" that included members of the Otoge Progressives (TOP), the G15 group of APC governorship aspirants, and the party’s elders caucus.

These stakeholders had grown disillusioned with AbdulRazaq's governance style, which Mustapha alleged was characterized by poor management and a lack of consultation. Despite his defection, Mustapha reiterated his continued support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating, "I have not dumped President Tinubu." The coalition, he explained, was formed to challenge what they perceived as the rise of a new political dynasty in Kwara while still backing Tinubu at the presidential level.

Mustapha also dismissed reports that the Presidency had endorsed AbdulRazaq as its candidate, asserting that he had been actively involved in the selection process. He accused Governor AbdulRazaq of interfering in the governorship selection process by encouraging multiple candidates to prevent his own nomination. Mustapha further debunked the notion that the governorship should rotate to Kwara North, citing AbdulRazaq's victory in 2023 over a Kwara North candidate as proof that voters had previously chosen based on competence rather than zoning.

Lastly, the senator addressed allegations that he had agreed to serve only one term in the Senate. He denied the existence of such a document and clarified that the understanding was merely that he would seek the Senate seat for one term in anticipation of a future governorship bid.