RismadarVoice Reporters
October 4, 2026
Hundreds of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Alanamu Ward, Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defectors, drawn from various polling units across the ward, are said to be supporters of the senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha.
They were formally received into the PDP during a rally at the party’s Alanamu Ward secretariat, as political realignments continue across parts of Kwara Central.
The latest movement follows Mustapha’s resignation from the APC in August and his subsequent emergence as the PDP candidate for the Kwara Central senatorial election in 2027.
Mustapha had previously contested the APC governorship primary but lost to the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.
Announcing his departure from the APC, the senator said the decision followed consultations with supporters, constituents and political stakeholders, as well as concerns over developments within the Kwara chapter of the ruling party.
Speaking on behalf of the latest defectors, AbdulRazaq Adio said their decision to join the PDP was largely influenced by their political loyalty to Mustapha.
Adio said the group intended to continue supporting the senator under his new political platform and work with existing PDP members ahead of the elections.
He also cited the leadership of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and the direction of the PDP in Kwara as factors influencing their decision.
The defectors pledged to participate actively in grassroots mobilisation and other party activities across the ward.
Receiving the new members, PDP Chairman in Alanamu Ward, Abdulgafar Alawo, welcomed them into the party and urged them to contribute to strengthening its structure.
The defections are part of a broader political realignment among some of Mustapha’s supporters following his move from the APC to the PDP.
The APC, however, has previously played down the political impact of Mustapha’s departure, with party stakeholders maintaining their support for the ruling party and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
