A former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rev. Benjamin Yisa, has said of all the contestants for the APC National Chairmanship, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, a former National Deputy Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change, is the most credible.

Yisa stated this in Ilorin while playing host to some members of the Forum of Ex-Principal Officers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria who paid him a condolence visit over the death of his father.

While canvassing support for Mustapha, the former speaker said he had a decade-old long relationship with Mustapha and he could vouch for the content of his character and his ability to lead.

He said, “Mallam Saliu Mustapha is the most credible and the most acceptable of all the candidates contesting. And at 50 years of age, he also has the uncanny advantage of being a bridge between the young and old generations of the party.

“Apart from this, he is also non-aligned. Unlike other contestants who are being overtly or covertly sponsored by one money bag or the other, Saliu Mustapha is the one who is independent and non-aligned. The only person you could say he’s aligned to is President Muhammadu Buhari, going by their years of relationship.

“So, if there’s anyone that’s fitting into the role of the national chairman of the party, I can beat my chest that Mustapha is. So, here is me soliciting support for him from his home state and on behalf of other stakeholders of the party in the state.”

As the APC national convention date draws closer, many have indicated an interest in occupying the chairmanship seat of the party.

Amongst the contestants are Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger State), Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa State), Mallam Saliu Mustapha (Kwara State), ex-Governor George Akume (Benue State), Mohammed Etsu (Niger State), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa State) and former Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Abu Bawa Bwari (Niger State).