Frontline governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Senator Saliu Mustapha, has firmly declared that he remains in the race for the party’s governorship ticket and will participate in the APC gubernatorial primary election scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2026.

The senator dismissed widespread reports claiming that he either withdrew from or lost the APC Kwara Central Senatorial primary election in Ilorin, insisting that he never participated in the contest in the first place.

According to him, his political focus has always been on the governorship race and not the Senate.

Mustapha, who currently represents Kwara Central in the National Assembly, clarified that the only APC nomination forms he obtained were for the governorship election ahead of the 2027 general polls.

He added that he also successfully underwent the party’s governorship screening exercise in Abuja earlier this month.

The clarification followed confusion within the Kwara APC after a purported list of cleared senatorial aspirants surfaced online bearing Mustapha’s name alongside that of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The development triggered speculations across political circles, especially as government officials had earlier maintained that Governor AbdulRazaq was the sole aspirant for the Kwara Central Senate seat.

In a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Nasif Sholagberu, the senator urged party faithful, journalists and the general public to disregard claims linking him to the senatorial primary.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Saliu Mustapha officially obtained APC nomination forms to contest for the Governorship of Kwara State in the forthcoming 2027 General Elections and not for the Senate,” the statement read.

The statement further stressed that at no time did the senator purchase senatorial nomination forms or undergo screening for the Senate contest.

Mustapha’s camp described the reports and documents linking him to the senatorial primary as “forged, fake, misleading and of no consequence,” challenging anyone with contrary evidence to publicly present proof that the senator participated in the process.

The senator had earlier publicly announced the submission of his governorship nomination and expression of interest forms, describing his ambition as part of a broader vision to build a “more progressive and inclusive Kwara State.”

Despite the controversy, his media team reiterated support for peaceful APC primaries across the state and also expressed goodwill towards Governor AbdulRazaq’s senatorial ambition.

However, insiders within Mustapha’s camp insist that the reports portraying him as a participant in the Senate primary were deliberate attempts by political opponents and “mischief makers” to sow confusion within the ruling party ahead of the crucial 2027 elections.