Date: 2014-12-09

A group of People’s Democratic Party governorship aspirants has identified the party state chairman, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo and other three prominent members as responsible for the botched governorship primaries held yesterday at the Stella Obasanjo Multi-purpose hall.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the state’s PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant Forum, Senator Sulyman Ajibola, who is also an aspirant while addressing pressmen at a conference at the State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, NUJ, on behalf of other 11 aspirants except Dele Belgore.

Ajibola said “it is very unfortunate, ridiculous and undemocratic that some anti-democratic forces successfully disrupted the peaceful and transparent process that began at Stella Obasanjo hall. It is worrisome that despite the presence of the heavy security agents, the process began with several attempts to undermine it and subvert rule to pave way for rigging of the primaries to favour Dele Belgore.

“However delegates from the Ilorin-West LGA were not accredited due to discrepancies in their delegates list. But to the surprise of the aspirants and delegates alike it was notices that the number of delegates which was supposed to be 709 suddenly rose to over 1500. We also observed that over 700 people arrived in different buses escorted by the police with accredited state delegate tags just as the process was about to begin. Therefore, we the aspirants agreed that the fifteen (15) PDP LG chairmen should identify who the authentic delegates are and that was when the commotion started with the fake delegates throwing chairs.

“The big question is how did they get the tags and gain access to the venue. Attached to this disrupt are the trio of Muina Bola Shagaya, the minister of national planning Sulaiman Abubakar and Dele Belgore. We make this statement authoritatively that the party’s state chairman, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, with the support of the security agents attached to the above mentioned smuggled in the fake delegates. This undemocratic act signaled the beginning of the crisis that finally consumed the process.

“It is therefore pertinent and important to state that the election never took place in Kwara state. We therefore request the leadership of our party at the national level to as a matter of urgency order fresh re-election between the 10th and 11h of December. We also observed certain security lapses from the security agencies yet we will continue to keep faith and believe the party has all it takes to win the election as we will insist and collectively fight any attempt to impose any candidate, he said.

While fielding questions from journalists, the chairman of the forum said he cannot state categorically why Dele Belgore was not present but he said he was invited for the conference “all we are advocating for is a level playing ground and a letter was written to this effect titled “towards a free and fair PDP gubernatorial primaries in kwara state” but from the look of things he believes he can come in through the window, but we will not allow imposition because we are up to the task.As far as we are concerned there is no anointed candidate from Abuja”.

Party loyalists were also at the NUJ with placards with inscriptions such as “we say no to fake delegates”, “Kwarans say no to second slavery under Shagaya”, “the primary must hold in Kwara no where else”. “the state PDP chairman must go”, “we say no to imposition of delegates”, “it’s democracy don’t impose on us” “Akogun must go” among others.

Aspirants present at the conference includes; Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, Abdullahi Sanusi, Sen. Makanjuola Ajadi, Sen. Ruqayat Gbemisola saraki, Hon. Bio Ibrahim Issa, Prof. Oba Abdulraheem , Engr. Jani Ibrahim, Arch. Kale Belgore, John Dara and Sunday Babalola.