By Abdulraheem Olanrewaju
Senator Saliu Mustapha has dismissed reports suggesting that he withdrew from or lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in Kwara State.
The senator said he never contested the Kwara Central Senatorial District primary election and therefore could not have withdrawn from or been defeated in the race.
Mustapha, who currently represents Kwara Central in the Senate, stated that he only obtained nomination forms to contest for the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Nasif Sholagberu, the senator said he had already completed the party’s governorship screening exercise in Abuja and was preparing for the APC governorship primary scheduled for Thursday.
The statement urged APC members and delegates across the state to participate peacefully in the exercise.
Mustapha also expressed confidence that party stakeholders would consider him worthy of emerging as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
He, however, said he would accept the outcome of the primary in good faith if the result went otherwise.
The clarification followed the circulation of a purported list of aspirants for the APC senatorial primary election bearing the names of Mustapha and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The development had generated confusion within the party after earlier reports suggested that the governor was the sole aspirant for the Kwara Central Senate seat.
“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.
“At no time did Senator Saliu Mustapha obtain nomination forms for the Senate, neither did he participate in or undergo any screening process for the senatorial contest.”
The statement described reports linking the senator to the senatorial primary as “forged, fake, misleading and of no consequence.”
It also challenged anyone claiming otherwise to provide evidence that Mustapha purchased senatorial nomination forms or participated in the screening process.
The senator had earlier announced the submission of his governorship nomination and expression of interest forms, describing his ambition as part of efforts to build a more progressive and inclusive Kwara State.
