The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has formally received Senator Saliu Mustapha into its fold and presented him as its candidate for the Kwara Central Senatorial District in the 2027 election.

The development followed Mustapha's recent resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and came amid an escalating political confrontation between the senator and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Speaking at a political gathering organised by The O'toge Progressives (TOP), an expanded movement that emerged from the aggrieved APC bloc formerly known as G15, Mustapha challenged AbdulRazaq to a public debate on their records and plans for Kwara Central.

The senator alleged that the governor had frustrated some of his constituency projects in an attempt to undermine his achievements before the electorate.

"He is refusing my projects because he wants to bring me down and come back to say I didn't work. He is stopping all my projects," Mustapha said.

He also criticised what he described as responses from the governor's aides and political associates, urging AbdulRazaq to engage him directly.

"I won't respond to all his errand boys. When he sends his errand boys, we will send our aide to reply them. But I challenge Governor AbdulRazaq to a public debate," he said.

Mustapha said the proposed debate would provide an opportunity for both politicians to present their achievements and development plans for Kwara Central before the electorate.

He said the emerging political alliance was not about the ambition of any individual politician but about the collective interests of the people.

"We will reset the equation in 2027. It is not about me or about Saraki or Kawu, it is about the collective interest of my people," he said.

The senator also urged supporters to begin grassroots mobilisation ahead of the election, promising that the opposition would deploy agents to monitor voting and the collation process from polling units through the various levels.

Mustapha expressed confidence that the opposition would defeat the incumbent administration in the 2027 election.

At the TOP gathering, former Kwara Central Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe dismissed suggestions that the political bloc had fractured.

Oloriegbe said the group remained united under TOP and would adopt what he described as a "rainbow" strategy in 2027, supporting candidates across political parties while backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for another term.

At a subsequent PDP gathering in Ilorin, the party formally received Mustapha and presented him with its flag before party members and supporters.

The State PDP Chairman, Isa Bawa Adamu, announced that the party had granted Mustapha a waiver to contest the 2027 National Assembly election on its platform, effectively confirming his candidacy for Kwara Central.

"By the grace of God, you have been granted a waiver to contest the 2027 National Assembly election under the banner of PDP," Adamu said.

Accepting the PDP flag, Mustapha pledged to work with the party to secure victory in the 2027 elections and described the political realignment as part of efforts to reposition Kwara State.

He stressed that the PDP was not merely receiving an aspirant but a serving senator who would now seek re-election under its platform.

"We are celebrating with PDP today that in me as a serving senator, you have an elected Senator in PDP, not just as a candidate, but as a serving senator," Mustapha said.

He added that the alliance was ultimately aimed at protecting the broader interests of Kwara and ensuring that the state would not be taken for granted in the future.