There are reportedly ongoing behind-the-scenes political negotiations between former Senate President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Bukola Saraki, and a group of aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) politicians in Kwara State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development followed a recent meeting between Saraki and Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central Senatorial District, at the Tunde Idiagbon International Airport in Ilorin.
Although the encounter was described as an accidental meeting, the development has attracted considerable political attention amid growing contacts between Saraki’s political camp, the PDP and members of the APC bloc popularly known as the G-15.
The G-15 comprises several prominent APC governorship aspirants and other politicians, including Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, Bashir Bolarinwa, Senator Oloriegbe and Alhaji Muyideen Salako, among others.
The group, which now operates under the name The Otoge Progressives (TOP), is reportedly considering a political arrangement with the PDP to challenge the current political structure in the state.
PDP Authorises Saraki To Negotiate
According to Daily Trust, sources familiar with the discussions told our correspondent that the PDP’s recent decision to authorise Saraki to engage members of the aggrieved APC bloc was a major step in the ongoing negotiations.
The development followed earlier contacts between the two camps, with meetings reportedly held in Ilorin.
A source close to the discussions said the negotiations were being driven by the desire to unite politicians and groups opposed to the present political arrangement in the state.
“The discussion is going towards working together because we cannot leave our state to the governor. For now, no amount of sacrifice is too big to make to rescue our state. We have to work together with all the interested groups,” the source said.
The source added that the parties were expected to have a clearer picture of the proposed alliance before November, with a major announcement expected by Friday.
He stressed that all the groups involved would have to make sacrifices to make the proposed arrangement work.
A PDP insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, confirmed that the party’s decision to allow Saraki to negotiate with the G-15 followed previous conversations between the two sides.
“We are having conversations and understanding which prompted the directive of the party to talk with them. We have our group and they have their own group and all of them are talking. And there is over 80 per cent of its workability,” the source said.
However, the negotiations are yet to produce a final agreement, as the two sides are still discussing the terms of the proposed political partnership.
According to sources, the G-15 has demanded political concessions covering the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.
One of the PDP sources said the positions being discussed included two senatorial seats, three House of Representatives seats and 10 State Assembly seats.
The source explained that the PDP was currently considering which positions it could realistically concede as part of the proposed alliance.
An APC member involved in the discussions also disclosed that the G-15 negotiating team includes former Commissioner for Water Resources, AbdulMumini Katibi; Senator Sulieman Ajadi; Elders Caucus Chairman, Christopher Ayeni; and former Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe, who is said to be leading the team.
The Saraki camp, according to the source, is being led by former PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, with former Kwara State Speakers, Razak Atunwa and Ali Ahmad, among those involved in the discussions.
G-15 Confirms Talks
One of the G-15 members and former governorship aspirant, Alhaji Muyideen Salako, confirmed that meetings had taken place between the group and the PDP.
Salako, however, stressed that an alliance with the PDP at the state level should not be interpreted as opposition to President Bola Tinubu at the national level.
According to him, the group could continue to support Tinubu while working with the PDP to challenge the APC structure in Kwara.
He argued that the PDP was unlikely to field a presidential candidate capable of threatening Tinubu in 2027.
Salako said the group’s preferred option would have been to resolve its differences within the APC but maintained that the G-15 had not ruled out any option, including negotiations over the governorship and other elective positions.
He also disclosed that another group of aggrieved politicians, known as the G100, was monitoring the negotiations.
‘We May Return To APC’
Despite the growing discussions with the PDP, Salako said the G-15 had not completely closed the door on reconciliation with the APC.
He said many of the aggrieved politicians would have preferred to remain within the ruling party but were pushed towards the opposition by what they described as the failure of the APC leadership to carry out genuine reconciliation.
“If their permutation is right and they win, they are likely to return to the APC, including Saraki. That is likely on the card,” Salako said.
He explained that some of the politicians were concerned that another electoral defeat could weaken their political influence in Kwara.
According to him, there are fears among some of them that they could effectively be “retired” from active politics if the incumbent political structure succeeds in retaining power in 2027.
This, he suggested, was partly responsible for the growing interest in working with Saraki despite their complicated political history.
Opportunity For Saraki To Rebuild
Naija News reports that for Saraki, the proposed arrangement could provide an opportunity to rebuild a broad political coalition in Kwara without personally contesting an elective position.
The political weight of the G-15 could also help the PDP expand its reach beyond its traditional supporters in the state.
However, whether such an alliance would automatically translate into electoral victory remains uncertain.
The President of the Nigerian Society of International Affairs and Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Ilorin, Professor Hassan Saliu, said the body language of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq suggested that the governor remained confident in his ability to deliver the APC governorship candidate, Yakubu Danladi.
“Looking at the body language of the governor, he seems to be very sure of delivering his candidate, Danladi. Can he do it? Will he not be able to do it? I don’t know. But that is the picture one is getting,” Saliu said.
The political scientist also cautioned opposition politicians against underestimating the strength and structure of the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
While acknowledging that the proposed alliance could give the PDP an advantage, he warned that the movement of aggrieved APC members would not automatically translate into victory for the opposition party.
The proposed alliance is also creating fresh calculations around the Kwara Central senatorial ticket.
Apart from Senator Saliu Mustapha, several PDP politicians are believed to have interests in the Senate seat.
Among them are former members of the House of Representatives who recently joined the PDP after falling out with the governor, including Moshood Mustapha. Ali Ahmad is also reportedly interested in the seat.
Checks reportedly showed that Yinka Otukoko, ABS Director of Project, is currently listed on the Independent National Electoral Commission portal as the PDP’s Kwara Central senatorial candidate.
However, Otukoko appeared to suggest that his candidacy was only temporary.
Responding to a post by an APC Kwara South senatorial aspirant, Nurudeen Adeyemi, on the Kwara Commission WhatsApp platform, Otukoko wrote, “My ticket is for either Saliu Mustapha of G15 or Moshood Mustapha.”
Party sources said the matter would be resolved with the interest of the PDP and the G-15 taken into consideration.
‘PDP Big Enough To Accommodate Everybody’
The development has also seen some PDP leaders publicly warming up to Senator Mustapha.
The party’s Kwara State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, has been posting messages praising Mustapha on his social media handles.
Speaking on Thursday, Adewara confirmed that discussions between the PDP and G-15 were at an advanced stage.
“The party is big enough to accommodate everybody. We are in talks with the G-15 and at an advanced stage,” he said.
Asked who would eventually get the senatorial ticket, Adewara said the decision had not been reached.
“We have not gotten to that stage but it’s the party elders and stakeholders that will determine that when the time comes. But discussion is ongoing,” he added.
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