Senatorial: We’ll secure court order compelling INEC to swap Gov Ahmed for Rafiu Ibrahim – Kwara PDP

By Mumini Abdulkareem

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the party will approach the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace the name of Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed with Dr Rafiu Ibrahim as the candidate of Kwara South senatorial seat.
The state chairman of the party, Alhaji Kola Shittu revealed this to our reporter shortly after the press briefing on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kwara North leaders, yesterday, in Ilorin.
The list of Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates released by INEC on Thursday had caused huge concerns in the state following the appearance of the name of Governor Ahmed instead of Senator Ibrahim.
Governor Ahmed had last month pulled out of the race for Senator Ibrahim who currently occupies the position citing the need for fairness and equity for the Ibolo speaking axis of Kwara South.
Ahmed on Saturday during the PDP campaign rally in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state reiterated that he is no more in the race adding that he has pulled out for the serving senator.
He further asked the people not to entertain any fear about the development, assuring them that the mix up would be corrected in due course.
Speaking yesterday, the party Chairman said there is no cause for alarm over the issue. He added that the party is on track and will use the instrumentality of the court to resolve the matter with INEC.
“There is no problem; just let us wait till 25th of January, 2019. We are hopeful the court will compel the commission to do the needful by publishing the name of Senator Rafiu Ibrahim instead of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed,” he added.
When contacted on the telephone last night, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan promised to get back to this reporter over the matter. He was however yet to do so before this paprt went to bed.
But in a telephone chat on Sunday, INEC’s Director of Publicity and Voters Education, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi insisted that the commission will not release another list on the issue adding that Thursday’s list was final.
He said all the names on the list with ‘court order’ were in line with the order of the court.
There is a time for withdrawal and if you don’t withdraw with the process known to law, your name will be there. If the Governor’s name is still on the list, it means he didn’t withdraw with the correct procedure or within the stipulated time. We have not issued any list before and this is the first and the final list of candidates for the election. There is more room for substitution and all where you see court order after the name of a candidate, it means that action was based on the order of the court,” he submitted.