{
  "id": 3777925,
  "title": "2027: Mustapha Challenges AbdulRazaq To Debate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/2027-mustapha-challenges-abdulrazaq-to-debate",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T15:53:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/2027-mustapha-challenges-abdulrazaq-to-debate/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has formally accepted Senator Saliu Mustapha as its candidate for the 2027 senatorial election in Kwara Central. This move comes amid a heated political rivalry between Mustapha and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who challenged the senator to a public debate over their respective records and plans for the district. Mustapha, who recently left the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the challenge at a political event organized by The Otoge Progressives (TOP), a broader movement that originated from a faction of the APC called G15. He criticized the governor for hindering some of his development projects, stating that such actions were intended to undermine his standing among voters. \"I have been doing works, that is why I was given Turaki of Ilorin because of my development to the emirate,\" Mustapha remarked. \"He is blocking my projects because he wants to bring me down and come back to say I didn't work. He is stopping all my projects.\" Moreover, Mustapha accused AbdulRazaq's associates of responding to his criticisms on his behalf, insisting that the governor engage him directly in conversation. \"I won't respond to all his errand boys. When he sends his errand boys, we will send our aide to reply them. But I challenge Governor AbdulRazaq to a public debate,\" he declared. The political strategist sees this proposed debate as an opportunity for both politicians to openly discuss their accomplishments and future strategies for Kwara Central's constituents. \"Let him come out and tell what he has done before becoming the governor of this state and I will come back and tell what I have done. Let him come out with his plan for Kwara Central and I will do that too,\" he insisted. Mustapha stressed that the emerging alliance was more significant than the individual ambitions of those involved. \"We will reset the equation in 2027. It is not about me or about Saraki or Kawu, it is about the collective interest of my people,\" he affirmed. He also urged supporters to begin grassroots mobilization and promised that the opposition would monitor the election process to prevent any instances of fraud. \"There will be no rigging. We will sit with our votes and monitor it from the polling unit, to the ward, to the LG and to the state where the final announcement will be made,\" he pledged. The TOP gathering also included former Kwara Central Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe, who reaffirmed the unity of the political bloc and outlined a multi-party \"rainbow\" strategy for the 2027 elections. Oloriegbe dismissed claims of factionalism within the group and specifically downplayed reports of members leaving. At the PDP assembly, the party formalized Mustapha's affiliation with their party, granting him a waiver to contest the 2027 National Assembly election under their banner in Ilorin. State PDP chairman Isa Bawa Adamu announced the senator's acceptance of the PDP flag, committing to collaborate with the party to secure victory. Mustapha expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the party's success in the upcoming election.",
  "summary": "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has formally received Senator Saliu Mustapha into its fold and presented him as its candidate for Kwara Central in the 2027 senatorial election. The development came amid a renewed political confrontation between Mustapha and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, with the former ruling party lawmaker challenging the governor to […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}