Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara Central senatorial district of Kwara state yesterday said that the exit of the Senator representing the district in the National Assembly, Saliu Mustapha, from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) would not affect the electoral victory of the APC in the forthcoming general election in the state.
They, therefore, declared that the achievements of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in office remained an indelible mark for the electoral success of the party, and also pledged their continued unalloyed support for the governor and the APC governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi.
The declaration was made separately by Hon. Ibrahim Sulyman Salah, councillor representing Gambari Ward 1 in Ilorin East Local Government Area, and Mr. Baba Gobir Abdullahi, chairman of Gambari Ward II and chairman of the APC ward chairmen across the 193 wards in Kwara State, at a press conference in Ilorin.
Senator Mustapha hails from Gambari Ward 1.
Salah spoke on behalf of stakeholders from Gambari Ward 1 and other communities across Kwara Central, while Gobir represented the 51 APC ward chairmen in the senatorial district.
According to him, the stakeholders were not driven by political considerations but by what they described as the visible impact of the AbdulRazaq administration across Kwara State.
“We are not here because of politics. We are here because the dividends of democracy are now visible, measurable, and touching the lives of ordinary Kwarans,” he said.
He cited road construction, urban renewal, healthcare, education and economic empowerment among areas where the administration had, in their assessment, made significant progress.
According to Salah, 113.57 kilometres of roads had been completed in Kwara Central, while another 65.5 kilometres were ongoing.
He said the initiatives had supported businesses, youths, and vulnerable residents.
Salah subsequently announced a vote of confidence in AbdulRazaq, and called on the governor to sustain the pace of development, particularly by completing ongoing projects and expanding empowerment programmes for youths and women.
The stakeholders also pledged their support for AbdulRazaq, Danladi and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Speaking separately, Baba Gobir Abdullahi, chairman of Gambari Ward II and chairman of the APC ward chairmen across the 193 wards in Kwara State, reaffirmed the loyalty of the 51 APC ward chairmen in Kwara Central to AbdulRazaq and dismissed Mustapha’s defection as incapable of weakening the party.
He described the ward chairmen as the “engine room” of the APC in Kwara Central, saying they were directly responsible for grassroots mobilisation and voter engagement.
He rejected the suggestion that the senator’s 2023 electoral victory was a personal achievement, arguing that it was secured through the collective efforts of the APC, AbdulRazaq’s leadership, and grassroots members.
Gobir said Mustapha’s departure was therefore a personal political decision rather than a reflection of the aspirations of voters across Kwara Central.
He also urged the people of Kwara Central not to be distracted by the “political tourism” of individuals who prioritise their personal comfort over the collective progress of the people.
The APC chieftain insisted that the APC remained the party committed to placing the welfare of ordinary Kwarans at the centre of governance, urging voters to remain focused on the development recorded by the AbdulRazaq administration.
“Do not be distracted by the political tourism of individuals who prioritise their personal comfort over your collective progress. The APC remains the only party that puts the welfare of the ordinary Kwarans at the centre of governance,” he said.