Stakeholders in Gambari Ward 1, Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, and the 51 APC ward chairmen in Kwara Central Senatorial District have dismissed the defection of Senator Saliu Mustapha from the party to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The groups reaffirmed their support for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and APC governorship candidate, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, the stakeholders passed a vote of confidence in AbdulRazaq, citing what they described as visible achievements in infrastructure, urban renewal, education, healthcare and economic empowerment.

The Councillor representing Gambari Ward 1, Ibrahim Salah, said the stakeholders’ position was based on the impact of the administration’s programmes on residents.

He said the group had no reason to abandon the APC or withdraw its support for the governor, citing road construction, infrastructure projects and social investment programmes among the administration’s achievements.

Salah said 113.57 kilometres of roads had been completed in Kwara Central, while social investment initiatives had provided support for businesses, youths and vulnerable residents.

“We hereby pass a vote of confidence on His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his visionary, inclusive and impactful governance,” he said.

The stakeholders also pledged to support the APC and its candidates in 2027, including Danladi-Salihu in the governorship election and AbdulRazaq in the Kwara Central senatorial contest.

Speaking separately, the Chairman of Gambari Ward II and leader of the APC ward chairmen in Kwara State, Baba Abdullahi, said Mustapha’s defection would not weaken the party’s grassroots structure in Kwara Central.

He described the ward chairmen as the “engine room” of the APC’s grassroots mobilisation, arguing that Mustapha’s 2023 electoral victory was achieved through the collective efforts of party members and leaders.

“Senator Mustapha’s departure is a personal choice, not a reflection of the aspirations or desires of the grassroots electorate,” he said.

Abdullahi urged residents not to be distracted by the senator’s defection, insisting that the APC remained united behind AbdulRazaq and focused on its development agenda.