Governor Abdulrazaq Drags APC’s Chieftain Moshood Mustapha to Court for Alleged Insult Over Property Demolition *** A Calculated attempt to Silence Mustapha Says a source
By Omowumi Omotosho
A fresh layer of controversy has rocked Kwara State politics as Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has taken legal action against prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former federal lawmaker, Honourable Moshood Mustapha, over alleged defamatory statements linked to the demolition of Mustapha’s property in Ilorin last year.
Court documents obtained by National Pilot confirmed that Mustapha along with his cousin, Bolakale Mustapha, are facing charges bordering on criminal defamation, conspiracy, and incitement.
The petition, which triggered the prosecution, was filed by the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Mr. Fafoluyi Olayinka Solace, on behalf of the state government.
The alleged offence stems from comments made by Mustapha following the demolition of one of his properties by Kwara state government last year, which government officials claimed was in line with urban development regulations. In the aftermath, Mustapha is said to have made scathing remarks accusing the governor of political witch-hunting and abuse of power—comments the government now claims were not only defamatory but also inciting and injurious to public peace.
Sources within the judiciary also allege that efforts may be underway to assign the case to a judge who would deny bail to the defendants, a move seen as an attempt to curtail Mustapha’s political influence ahead of future elections.
Efforts by National Pilot to get Mustapha’s personal reaction on Monday afternoon proved abortive, as he did not answer multiple calls placed to his line, nor did he respond to text messages sent to him.
However, a source close to Mustapha who spoke under the condition of anonymity described the legal suit as a “calculated attempt to silence Moshood Mustapha after the governor and his aides have run out of options.” The source claimed that after combing through Mustapha’s records and finding nothing incriminating, the administration allegedly resorted to using the courts as a political weapon.
“This is not about justice or rule of law, it is pure intimidation. They demolished his property without fair notice, and now they want to prosecute him for reacting. It’s a witch-hunt,” the source added.
