Date: 2014-12-22

The tussle for the Kwara Central Senatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between Yinka Aluko and Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq got messier yesterday as the former described the latter as “a confused man” in chat with National Pilot.

Though Aluko had consistently denied the replacement of his name by the state chapter of the party, reports in some news medium over the weekend had heightened such speculation with purported claim that Abdulrazaq had been given the ticket through a press conference with newsmen.

A press statement which National pilot was privy to, quoted the Appeal Panel of the PDP to have upheld the candidature of Abdulrasaq over the Kwara Central Senatorial Seat.

The statement reads in part, “(My) victory had been upheld by the committee which conducted the election. The electoral panel after thorough investigation ruled in (my) favour and set aside the earlier result announced by the committee which conducted the primary election.

“The national and state secretariats of the PDP would soon make a pronouncement on the development”, Abdulrazaq reportedly added.

Discarding the rumour, Aluko told National Pilot that he remained the authentic candidate of the party in the Kwara Central Senatorial contest.

According to him, “I remained the flag bearer of the party because I won the primary. What they could not get through the backdoor, they want to get it through the party. I have filled and submitted the INEC form to this effect. I think he is confused”, he added.

Aluko, who spoke exclusively with our reporter on the issue on Sunday, revealed that he had gotten an order of interim injunction from the Ilorin High Court which barred his opponent from parading himself as the party’s candidate.

He also disclosed that he had received a substituted service to that effect when the court bailiff found it difficult to serve the first order.

In the court document which was exclusively obtained by this medium yesterday, Aluko, among other prayers, urged the court to refrain Abdulrazaq (the 5th defendant) from parading, presenting and or addressing himself as the Kwara Central Senatorial candidate...for the purpose of the February, 2015 National Assembly Elections pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion of notice, which the court granted.

The case, which is before Justice A.O Akinpelu of the Kwara state High Court, had the PDP, its National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, National Secretary, Wale Oladipo, INEC and Abdulrazaq as co-defendants.

The suite was adjourned to 6th January, 2015 for further hearing.

All calls put through to Abdulrazaq’s line yesterday were not answered and text messages were also not replied.