2027: Showdown Brews In Kwara As Mustapha, AbdulRazaq Battle For Soul Of APC

 A major political rift is threatening the cohesion of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, as festering tension between Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central, continues to escalate ahead of the 2027 general elections. 

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Despite multiple interventions by the party’s national hierarchy, Daily Independent has reliably gathered that the gulf between both political heavyweights is widening, sparking growing fears within the party that the dispute could cost the APC dearly in the next electoral cycle. 

Once political allies who jointly delivered massive votes for the APC in 2023, the relationship between Governor AbdulRazaq and Senator Mustapha has since soured, leaving their respective political camps sharply divided. 

While no official explanation has been offered for the cold war, political insiders point to the battle for control of Kwara APC’s 2027 structure as the root cause. With AbdulRazaq serving out his final term as governor, insiders say he is keen on handpicking both his successor and the party’s candidate for Kwara Central Senatorial District — a seat Mustapha currently occupies and is believed to be eyeing for a second term. 

Sources suggest that the governor may be plotting to install a loyalist as the APC’s senatorial candidate in 2027 — a move that would directly undercut Senator Mustapha’s ambition and grip on the grassroots. 

Tensions boiled over recently during the build-up to a high-profile event in Ilorin, the Distinguished Personality Lecture hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin, in honour of Senator Mustapha. The lecture was delivered by Prof. Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and current Co-Chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reform Initiative. 

Though the lecture focused on livestock policy and national development, Daily Independent can authoritatively report that attempts were made to derail the event — an effort traced by insiders to allies of the state governor. 

“Until the last minute before the lecture at the University Auditorium, there were pressures to have it cancelled,” revealed a senior academic who maintains close ties with both political camps. 

The source, who asked not to be named, disclosed that overtures were made to the university leadership — including Vice Chancellor Prof. Wahab Egbewole — to postpone the lecture under the pretext that Governor AbdulRazaq wished to attend at a later date. 

But the senator’s camp saw through the ruse, believing it to be part of a broader strategy to minimize Mustapha’s political visibility. 

“In today’s Kwara politics, nobody wants to be caught fraternizing with Senator Mustapha in public for fear of incurring the governor’s wrath,” one key APC insider told Daily Independent. 

University officials reportedly stood their ground, insisting the event must proceed unless a formal request came directly from the governor or top federal authorities — which never happened. 

The failed effort to block the lecture has been interpreted by political analysts as a desperate move to curtail Mustapha’s rising influence within Kwara APC and beyond. 

“This power tussle is more than a personality clash. It’s a fight for the future of the party in the state,” noted a party strategist who spoke under condition of anonymity. 

There are fears that if not properly managed, the discord could snowball into full-blown political warfare by 2026, just as preparations for the general elections intensify. 

“It is surprising that despite previous interventions by the presidency and party elders, the feud has persisted,” another Abuja-based source close to the APC national caucus lamented. 

With Senator Mustapha enjoying significant grassroots support, national goodwill, and deep connections within the APC establishment, analysts say it will take more than subtle sabotage to cut him down to size. 

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the APC leadership — both at the national and state levels — to act swiftly and prevent a total breakdown of party cohesion in Kwara. 

As one party stalwart put it, “What is happening between the governor and Senator Mustapha is not just a disagreement. It’s a looming political earthquake that could shake the APC to its foundation in Kwara State.” 

Unless a truce is brokered soon, the stage appears set for a fierce battle for control of Kwara APC — one that may reshape the political destiny of the state in 2027.