Saliu Mustapha, senator representing Kwara Central, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing concerns over the party’s leadership in Kwara State and what he described as a departure from the principles of internal democracy and collective unity.

Mustapha announced his resignation in a letter addressed to the APC ward chairman of Gambari Ward 1, Ilorin East Local Government Area of the state.

The senator, who is a founding member of the APC, said his decision followed “careful reflection and extensive consultations” with his constituents and key stakeholders.

According to him, recent developments within the party, particularly under its leadership in Kwara, had undermined the principles upon which the APC was founded.

“I believe political leadership must be anchored on integrity, competence, accountability and a sincere commitment to the collective interest of the people,” Mustapha said in a statement announcing his resignation.

“The current leadership of the party in Kwara State have fallen short of these standards, and this have eroded my confidence in them.”

Mustapha said his decision to leave the APC would not diminish his commitment to his constituents or the state, stressing that he remained focused on serving the people.

“I remain fully committed to serving the people of Kwara Central, Kwara State and Nigeria with integrity, dedication and in the best interest of humanity,” he added.

The resignation comes weeks after Mustapha contested the APC governorship primary in Kwara State.

The senator had obtained the party’s nomination form to contest the 2027 governorship election and participated in the primary held on May 22.

Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, emerged as the party’s candidate after polling 94,990 votes.

He defeated Abdulfatai Seriki, who scored 41,700 votes, while Bashir Bolarinwa came third with 22,118 votes.

Mustapha was subsequently among the aspirants who called for a review of the primary, alongside the other two serving APC senators from the state.

In June, Mustapha, Oyelola Ashiru and Sadiq Umar called for urgent reconciliation within the party, alleging that legitimate stakeholders had been excluded from key decision-making processes.

The latest development also follows the emergence of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State, as the APC’s preferred candidate for the Kwara Central senatorial seat.

AbdulRazaq is reportedly the only aspirant to have purchased the APC nomination and expression-of-interest forms for the senatorial ticket, putting him in line to succeed Mustapha in the Senate after completing his second term as governor in May 2027.

Mustapha’s resignation has therefore heightened speculation about his next political move ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to reports,the senator is considering joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest against AbdulRazaq for the Kwara Central senatorial seat.

His exit from the APC could further reshape the political landscape in Kwara ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly in Kwara Central, where the APC is expected to defend its position against opposition parties.