The Kwara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Mallam Saliu Mustapha not to withdraw from the party’s national chairmanship race.
A large number of leaders and stakeholders of the party led by a former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Benjamin Yisa, made the call during a solidarity visit to Mustapha’s country home in Ilorin on Sunday.
The group told the aspurant, who is the Turaki of the llorin Emirate, to intensify his campaigns by seeking the buy-in of other top shots in the party from across the country.
“Mustapha’s aspiration was a collective decision of the state chapter of the party, and any decision he has to take on the aspiration must resonate with a majority of party members and stakeholders in the state.
“This contest is now beyond you. It has become bigger than you. It is no longer the aspiration of Saliu Mustapha, the individual. It is a representation of our collective destinies as a chapter and as a people ” Yisa said.
A top chieftain of the APC in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Amb. Hamza Salaudeen, said this was the first time in the history of politics in Kwara that there is a near 100 per cent unanimity on a political aspiration of an individual politician from the state, dead or alive.
He described the action as an uncommon development that is a reflection of the popularity of Mustapha in his home state and the general acceptability of his aspiration by both the traditional, religious and political leaderships in the state.
On his part, a former legislator and chieftain of the party in Asa Local Government Area of the state, Mr Mahmoud Baako, said it was too late for Mustapha to think of withdrawing from the chairmanship race.
He therefore urged Mustapha to stay strong in the face of the new challenges being faced in the party, while praying that the former deputy national chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) would triumph at the end of the day.
“We are aware of the purported endorsement by the President. This does not bother us at all. This is not the time to withdraw. Rather, it is time to intensify our campaigns. We shall be with you all the way ” Baako said.
He said Mustapha has a history of a cordial relationship with virtually all major stakeholders of the party, starting with the Kwara Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the three Senators representing the state and the two Ministers from the state, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, among others.
“The only reason why Mallam Saliu Mustapha is the only candidate contesting from Kwara state is because of his goodwill at home.
“He is not only loved by the community and traditional leadership of the state, which led to his elevation as the Turaki of the Ilorin Emirate, he is also very well respected by the political class, especially within the progressive family.
“This is unlike other states in the North Central where there are multiple candidates from the same state, Niger and Nasarawa are ready examples.
“So, among all the contestants from the North Central, he is the only one with the most formidable state backing that cut across. This is why we are appealing to the President to pull his weight behind Mustapha, who incidentally has been his longtime ally,” Baako added.
Responding, Mustapha thanked the chieftains of the party for their support and prayers, assuring them of his continued commitment and loyalty to the party.
The aspirant particularly thanked the state governor for his steadfastness and appreciated the party stakeholders in the state for their support, urging them not to relent in their efforts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 49-year-old Mustapha is said to be the youngest of all the aspirants vying for the position of the APC national chairmanship.
He is a long standing ally of President Muhammadu Buhari right from the latter’s days in the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) through to the CPC. (NAN)
