Heavy security as Kwara PDP elects chairman

There was tension, apprehension and anxiety in Kwara State yesterday as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its state congress to elect a new chairman for the party.

The congress held under a water-tight security took place at an event centre along Ajasse-Ipo road Ilorin while accreditation was earlier done at Michael Imoudu Institute for Labour Studies, few meters to the area.

No fewer than 3000 policemen were deployed for the exercise, while officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Directorate of State Service (DSS) were on ground to secure the venue.

Eight aspirants indicated interest in the chairmanship position, but our correspondent gathered that six of them eventually stepped down, pruning the contenders to two.

The two contenders are Iyiola Akogun Oyedepo and Mr. Bode Ojomu.

The aspirants who stepped down Sunday Fagbemi, Alhaji Maryam Al-Hassan, Rev. Bunmi Olusona, Mr. Rex Olawoye, Alhaji Abdulkadir Manko, and Yunusa Yahaya.

Sources said the list was eventually pruned down following compromise by various stakeholders of the party who had earlier presented many aspirants in “a bid to protect their interest.”

“What they could not however agree at is a consensus option which some stakeholders were hitherto pushing for “, a source told Daily Trust, prompting the resort to election which started around 5pm.

As at the time of filing this report, the congress superintended by a fivemember panel led by Senator Barnabas Gemade, was still in progress with Ifelodun Local Government delegates casting their votes. Voting started with Asa while the remaining 14 local government areas were yet to commence voting.

There are over 700 delegates participating in the congress with 44 selected from each of the 16 local government councils.

When contacted, Gemade declined comment on the election, urging journalists to wait to the end.