Saraki supports rainbow coalition for Tinubu’s re-election bid, says Saliu Mustapha

Saliu Mustapha, senator representing Kwara central, says former Senate President Bukola Saraki is backing the rainbow coalition constituted by Nyesom Wike for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Mustapha spoke on Friday during Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The senator said that despite his exit from the ruling party, he is still actively supporting the president’s re-election bid.

He said the rainbow coalition, established in Rivers state by Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has made inroads into Kwara.

“I have not dumped President Bola Tinubu. Like the honourable minister of FCT said, this rainbow coalition has extended to Kwara. That is part of what you are seeing. And that is why it was deliberate to have picked the PDP as our platform,” Mustapha said.

“If you look at Bukola’s politics today, Bukola is not contesting for anything. He’s neither contesting for senate or governorship. Bukola is also supporting the rainbow coalition that will enrich President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s chances.”

When asked whether Saraki is also a supporter of President Tinubu despite being members of different political parties, Mustapha said, “yes, just like the honourable minister of FCT”.

The senator said his defection was also influenced by The Otoge Progressives (TOP), which he said emerged from a group known as G15, which comprises governorship aspirants who contested the APC primary but failed to secure the party’s ticket.

“It is not just Senator Saliu Mustapha. It is as a result of the coalition; we call it TOP, the Otoge Progressives, which came about from the formation of the G15 and other aspirants with the elder caucus, who have all felt alienated by the way and manner Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is running the APC in Kwara,” the senator said.

He listed himself, Yahaya Seriki, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Dele Belgore, Alhaji Muhideen, Oyelola Ashiru and Sadiq Umar as members of the group.

‘THE COALITION CONTRIBUTED TO MY APC EXIT’

Mustapha declined to confirm whether the lawmakers in the G15 are still APC members, but insisted that the rainbow coalition contributed to his decision to leave the party.

“Well, like I said, this is a rainbow coalition that has given birth to my leaving the APC to get the ticket of the PDP Kwara central senatorial seat,” he said.

Shortly after quitting the APC on Friday, the senator picked the PDP senatorial nomination form for Kwara central district.

The senator said he secured the ticket through substitution rather than by participating in a primary following a waiver given to him by the party.(TheCable)