Saraki backing Tinubu’s second term, says Kwara senator

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The senator representing Kwara Central at the National Assembly, Saliu Mustapha, has alleged that former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is backing President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid despite leading the People’s Democratic Party in Kwara State.

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Mustapha, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP, made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, monitored by our correspondent.

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Mustapha, who secured the PDP ticket for Kwara Central senatorial seat on Friday after dumping the APC on Thursday, said his membership of the PDP should not be interpreted as placing him in opposition to Tinubu.

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Asked whether his defection meant he was now politically aligned with Saraki, Mustapha acknowledged the former Kwara State governor as the PDP leader in the state but stressed that Saraki was not seeking an elective position in 2027.

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He added that Saraki was supporting the “Rainbow Coalition” working towards Tinubu’s re-election.

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“Bukola is not contesting for anything. He’s neither contesting for senate nor governorship. Bukola is also supporting the Rainbow Coalition that will enrich President Bola Tinubu’s chances,” Mustapha said.

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The senator likened Saraki’s position to that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who remains a member of the PDP while serving in the Tinubu administration.

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The disclosure provides another indication of the fluid political alignments emerging ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with politicians belonging to opposition parties increasingly declaring support for Tinubu while retaining their party identities.

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Mustapha added that his defection to the PDP was also part of a collective decision by members of the G15, the Elders’ Caucus, the TOPS and the Otoge Progressive movement in Kwara.

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According to him, the groups had held discussions with several political parties before settling for the PDP as their platform for the 2027 elections.

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“Every member of G15, Elders’ Caucus, TOPS, and the Otoge Progressive, are all favourably exposed to working for the candidates in the PDP today,” he said.

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Mustapha said the decision was driven by grievances against the manner in which the APC handled its governorship nomination process, particularly what he described as the absence of consultation with major stakeholders.

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He identified the PDP faction loyal to Wike as the platform considered most suitable for the group, while stressing that it remained committed to Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

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He said the alliance was intended to challenge what he described as an emerging political dynasty in Kwara championed by the governor rather than oppose the President at the national level.

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Asked whether the group’s political battle was against Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Mustapha replied, “precisely.”

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The senator said the group’s major grievance was the alleged failure of the governor to consult party stakeholders before the emergence of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the APC governorship candidate.

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Mustapha also rejected suggestions that Danladi’s emergence was endorsed by the Presidency.

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“The Villa did not endorse Danladi as a candidate for us, nothing like that. I’m 100 per cent sure because I’m an active participant in this process,” he said.

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He claimed that the governor had initially declared Ambassador Yahaya Seriki as his preferred candidate before the Speaker emerged less than 48 hours later.

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Mustapha said the development contributed to the decision of the G15 and other groups to seek an alternative political platform.

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The senator also dismissed the argument that the 2027 governorship election should be determined by zoning, insisting that competence, rather than rotation, had historically determined political contests in Kwara.

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He cited the 2023 election, in which AbdulRazaq defeated PDP candidate, Shuaib Yaman, from Kwara North, arguing that voters in the zone had supported the governor despite the zoning argument.

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On his own political future, Mustapha said the move to the PDP was not motivated by personal bitterness over his failure to secure the APC governorship ticket.

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He said the coalition had agreed to present him as its candidate for the Kwara Central Senate seat.

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“I’m representing a group of people. I’m not here just for my individual aggrandisement,” he said.

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Mustapha also denied signing any agreement with AbdulRazaq limiting him to one term in the Senate.

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He described as fraudulent a document allegedly being circulated on Friday to suggest that he had agreed to serve only one term.

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“I never had any discussion with him or had an agreement signed with him. I’m telling you that it was a fraudulent document,” he said.

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