A former Non-Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Dr Mohammed Ghali, has challenged Senator Salihu Mustapha's denial that he signed an undertaking to serve only one term in the Senate.

In a statement dated 22 August 2026, Ghali described Mustapha's denial during an appearance on Channels Television's *Politics Today* programme on Friday, 21 August 2026, as "false and unfortunate".

Ghali said he was personally involved in the events preceding the 2023 All Progressives Congress senatorial election in Kwara Central and was physically present when Mustapha allegedly signed the undertaking.

According to him, the document was signed on 27 May 2022 and addressed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Ghali claimed that during the contest for the APC's Kwara Central senatorial ticket, Mustapha visited his residence to seek his intervention and support in securing the party's nomination.

He alleged that Mustapha asked him to convince the party leadership and the Governor that he would serve only one term if given the opportunity to represent Kwara Central in the Senate.

"To demonstrate the seriousness of his commitment, Senator Mustapha came with an already prepared written undertaking addressed to the Governor. He signed the document in my presence on May 27, 2022," Ghali stated.

He identified Mallam Saadu Salau, now Senior Adviser and Counsellor to the Governor, as another person who was present and witnessed the circumstances surrounding the alleged undertaking.

Ghali further claimed that Mustapha returned to his residence the following day, accompanied by his father, to thank him for his intervention and ask him to convey their appreciation to Governor AbdulRazaq for the support and confidence reposed in him.

He said he accepted Mustapha's commitment in good faith and had no reason at the time to doubt his word.

Ghali also rejected Mustapha's reported attempt to dispute the document based on the spelling of the name appearing on it.

"That explanation does not erase the circumstances under which the document was presented and signed. I was there. I saw him sign it. I heard the undertaking he made. Someone else witnessed the process," he said.

He challenged the senator to make the document public and explain the circumstances surrounding its preparation and execution if he maintained that he did not sign it.

Ghali acknowledged that politicians could change their political calculations and that political commitments could evolve as circumstances changed. He, however, maintained that denying an undertaking allegedly executed in the presence of witnesses was unacceptable.

He argued that Mustapha's positions as a serving senator and the Turaki of Ilorin required him to uphold truth, accountability and the sanctity of his word.

"The people of Kwara Central deserve to know the truth," Ghali stated.

He expressed readiness to testify publicly, under oath and before any appropriate forum, that Mustapha visited his residence, sought his intervention in securing the APC ticket, presented the written undertaking addressed to Governor AbdulRazaq and signed it in his presence on 27 May 2022.

Ghali also said he was prepared to affirm that Mustapha returned the following day with his father to express appreciation for the intervention and asked him to convey their gratitude to the Governor.

"The document speaks for itself, and Alhamdulillah, the witnesses are alive and well to corroborate these facts. Senator Mustapha should explain why he is now denying what happened in our presence," Ghali concluded.

He ended the statement with a quotation from the Qur'an: "O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak words that are right (truthful)." - Qur'an 33:70.