Fresh trouble for Kwara PDP as two Saraki allies claim governorship ticket

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Nigeria, is facing intensified internal conflict as two opposing factions have put forward distinct candidates for the 2027 governorship election.

The faction led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which includes state party leader and former Governor Bukola Saraki, had initially announced Kale Kawu as their consensus candidate. This arrangement reportedly involved other aspirants stepping down for Kawu.

However, this apparent unity was shattered when the Kabir Turaki (SAN)-led faction unveiled Ladi Hassan, also a long-time associate of Saraki, as their chosen candidate. This development has raised concerns among party members and observers about a potential protracted legal and political battle for the PDP's gubernatorial ticket.

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For him to have emerged as a governorship candidate in the fake PDP that is not recognised by INEC speaks volumes. He must have been sponsored by people outside our party. But I assure you they can’t succeed.

Kayode Abdulrahman, the state PDP Secretary, strongly criticized Hassan's nomination, labeling it as orchestrated by external forces aiming to destabilize the party. He asserted that Hassan had previously participated in and lost the faction's primary election, only to re-emerge through an unrecognized faction. "For him to have emerged as a governorship candidate in the fake PDP that is not recognised by INEC speaks volumes. He must have been sponsored by people outside our party. But I assure you they can’t succeed," Abdulrahman stated.

Adding to the internal discord, the Kwara Patriotic Movement (Itesiwaju Kwara), a political pressure group within the party, called for Hassan's immediate suspension. The group accused him of violating the consensus agreement he had allegedly signed. In a statement, the group lamented Hassan's actions, stating, "A consensus agreement is not a campaign flyer you discard when another offer looks brighter. It is the glue that holds a party together." The movement also commended Bukola Saraki for his commitment to party unity.

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A consensus agreement is not a campaign flyer you discard when another offer looks brighter. It is the glue that holds a party together.