Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is reportedly considering a defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to sources close to the senator and within the PDP who spoke with The PUNCH, discussions about a possible switch have intensified in recent days. The move is said to stem from Mustapha’s defeat in the APC governorship primary, his failure to secure the party’s Kwara Central senatorial ticket, and growing internal disagreements within the APC.
Reports indicate that the PDP’s Kwara Central senatorial ticket is being reserved for Mustapha. If the defection materialises, it would set up a direct contest against Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the APC candidate for the same seat.
Such a development could produce one of the most significant political battles in Kwara State in 2027, pitting the governor’s APC structure against a potential coalition involving former Senate President Bukola Saraki’s political network, the G15’s grassroots machinery, and a Tinubu-aligned bloc in Abuja.
The speculation gained further traction on Monday after the PDP’s current Kwara Central senatorial candidate, Yinka Otukoko, responded to a post on the popular WhatsApp platform Kwara Commission. He wrote that his ticket was “for either Saliu Mustapha of G15 or Mashood Mustapha.” Party insiders interpreted the comment as a sign that the PDP is open to accommodating Mustapha.
The rumours were also fuelled by a recent meeting between Mustapha and Saraki at the Ilorin International Airport, though details of the discussion and any link to a possible defection could not be independently confirmed.
A PDP source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Conversations are going on, but the situation is still fluid. Saliu is weighing his options, and several people are talking to him. The issue is not just the governorship primary; there are also concerns about what happens to the Kwara Central Senate seat and his political future in the APC.”
Another insider claimed that the Saraki camp had met with members of the G15 and agreed to offer the group two senatorial tickets under the PDP structure. The source noted that Mustapha possesses federal connections, name recognition, funding, and a structure capable of competing ward-for-ward with the governor.However, the Kwara State PDP dismissed Otukoko’s statement.
State Publicity Secretary Olusegun Adewara told newsman that the message should be disregarded, explaining that Otukoko’s WhatsApp account had reportedly been compromised.
“Please discard such submissions. It wasn’t from Otukoko, nor is it our party’s position. I understand Otukoko’s WhatsApp was hacked at a point recently and this may have been responsible for the misleading narratives,” Adewara said.
He added that widespread reactions to the statement were “miles apart from reality.”An Ilorin-based public affairs analyst, Abdulrasaq Olanrewaju, said that if Otukoko genuinely made the comment, it could reflect an understanding of political numbers and coalition-building.
He noted that a possible defection by Mustapha, combined with the PDP ticket, could significantly alter calculations in Kwara Central and strengthen the opposition’s position.
Efforts by The PUNCH to obtain reactions from the APC and Mustapha were unsuccessful as of press time. APC spokesperson Abdulwaheed Babatunde and Mustapha’s Executive Assistant, Abdulkareem Alabi, promised responses but had not provided any by the time of filing.
A source in Mustapha’s camp confirmed that “different options are being considered” but declined to state whether a final decision on joining the PDP had been made.
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