Kwara 2023: PDP Governorship Aspirants Reject Consensus

The governorship aspirants on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have rejected consensus arrangement ahead party’s primary election for 2023 polls.

One of the leading aspirants from the Northern part of the state where PDP zoned the governorship ticket expressed his dissatisfaction over the consensus arrangement.

This rejection of consensus arrangement had been confirmed as Hon. Aliyu Ahman Pategi, a 3 term House of Representatives member who represented the Edu/Pategi/Moro obtained PDP Governorship nomination forms at Party National Secretariat.

This action is against earlier arrangement where the consensus candidate get nomination form from Kwara PDP leadership.

Recall that all consensus candidates for Federal and State House Assembly received their nomination forms from Senator Bukola Saraki and Kwara PDP Chairman.

It’s therefore surprising when Ahman Pategi personally purchased his nomination forms while consultation to select consensus candidate is still ongoing.

This happened the same day the PDP Kwara North aspirants caucus met with Former Senate President and Leader of the party in Kwara State, Sen. Bukola Saraki in Abuja. The aspirant caucus through a communique that was allegedly signed by nine aspirants said they are still in consultations with leaders, and people of the zone in a bid to take a position.

Bahago as he is popularly known has overtly expressed his determination to run and test his popularity against the talk of consensus among aspirants from Kwara North. His popularity, versatility, and perceived acceptance from the region might be responsible for this decision.

Many of the party supporters and aspirants from Kwara North are not so keen on the consensus arrangement which was instigated by Sen. Saraki as they called it a crooked way of fielding his favourite using the voting strength of Kwara North as a tool. They all want to test their popularity through a free and fair primary election process.

Saraki over the last few days have presented party nomination forms to some aspirants who were said to have been picked via a consensus arrangement. The move has created some division in some wards and zones where some of the members openly rebelled.