Senator Saliu Mustapha, the current representative of Kwara Central Senatorial District, has reportedly left the All Progressives Congress and is set to pick the Peoples Democratic Party ticket for the same seat in the 2027 elections.

The claim was first widely shared by local media accounts on Thursday. The development follows earlier reports that the PDP in Kwara, in discussions involving former Governor Bukola Saraki and the aggrieved G-15 group within the APC, had offered Mustapha the central senatorial candidature. He had been unable to secure either the APC governorship nomination or a return ticket to the Senate under the ruling party. Mustapha is one of several politicians who expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the APC primaries in the state. Sources had indicated that the PDP was willing to accommodate him as part of efforts to strengthen its position ahead of 2027. Reactions on social media were mixed, with some users describing the move as expected while others questioned the senator’s decision and political calculations. As of the latest reports, neither Mustapha nor the official PDP structure in Kwara had issued a formal confirmation of the defection. If confirmed, the switch would set up a high-profile contest in Kwara Central, where Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is expected to seek the APC senatorial ticket after completing his tenure. The move could also reshape political alignments within the Ilorin Emirate and the wider state.