EXCLUSIVE: Seriki for governor, Mustapha for senate; How Tinubu resolved Kwara APC lockjam
EXCLUSIVE: Seriki for governor, Mustapha for senate; How Tinubu resolved Kwara APC lockjam
Fresh political permutations within the ruling All Progressives Congress appear to have settled the lingering power tussle between Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, ahead of the 2027 general elections in the state.
Multiple party sources familiar with the negotiations told Informant247 that President Bola Tinubu personally intervened in the crisis following weeks of intense consultations involving the governor, Senator Mustapha, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and other influential figures within the presidency.
According to the sources, the new arrangement favours Ambassador Abdulfatah Yahaya Seriki-Gambari as the APC governorship candidate in Kwara, while Senator Mustapha is expected to retain the party’s senatorial ticket for Kwara Central.
The development signals the end of months of political uncertainty and internal contestation within the Kwara APC over succession plans ahead of the 2027 elections.
How the game changed
Party insiders said early permutations around the governorship race had favoured Senator Mustapha, with some senior figures within the presidency reportedly backing his emergence as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.
“A few key figures around the presidency believed Senator Mustapha was among the most sellable options for the APC in Kwara,” one source said.
One source familiar with the negotiations said intelligence reports and political assessments presented to the presidency consistently ranked the senator among the strongest contenders in the state.
“From the President to the First Lady, the Chief of Staff and other key figures around him, many believed Senator Mustapha was one of the most sellable options for the APC in Kwara,” the source said.
“Apart from his personal charisma, feedback from the field reportedly showed he enjoyed broad acceptability across different blocs within the state.”
The source added that Senator Mustapha remained the preferred option of key figures within the presidency until late Sunday night, when Gov. Abdulrazaq made his last effort that led the President to eventually settle for Seriki, the governor’s preferred candidate.
Sources close to the governor said AbdulRazaq had been uncomfortable with the prospect of Senator Mustapha emerging as governor against his preference.
According to insiders, the governor travelled to Lagos for what was described as a final round of consultations with President Tinubu ahead of the APC primaries.
During the meetings, the governor reportedly appealed to the president to reconsider the earlier permutations, arguing that being unable to influence the choice of his successor would weaken his political standing in the state.
In pushing for Seriki, the governor reportedly argued that he is also a major APC’s strongest political assets in Kwara.
“He reminded the president that Seriki sacrificed his governorship ambition in 2018 for the party’s broader interest,” the source said.
Senate ticket ceded to Mustapha
Sources said that after the governorship ticket was conceded to Seriki, Senator Mustapha was allowed to retain the Kwara Central senatorial ticket.
The arrangement, according to insiders, was considered necessary to preserve the APC’s electoral strength in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The thinking within the presidency is that Senator Mustapha remains one of the APC’s strongest electoral assets in Kwara,” another source said.
“He is seen as someone with grassroots appeal whose presence on the ballot could strengthen the party’s overall performance during the presidential and National Assembly elections.”
The source added that Governor AbdulRazaq reportedly accepted the arrangement once assurances were secured on the governorship ticket.
The development effectively ends Senator Mustapha’s governorship ambition while positioning him for another term in the Senate.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official confirmation from the APC leadership in Kwara or from Senator Mustapha’s camp regarding the alleged arrangement.
When contacted, a media aide to Senator Mustapha, Nasif Sholagberu, said he was not aware of the development but promised to make inquiries. He had yet to respond as of press time.
