The crisis of confidence rocking the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dangerous turn yesterday as aggrieved members of the party from Kwara Central Senatorial District stormed the party secretariat along Asa-Dam road Ilorin protesting alleged substitution of names and falsification of results arising from the ward delegates congress of the party held nationwide at the weekend.

The angry party members allegedly damaged any property at sight during the protest, which prompted the state working committee of the party led by Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo to mobilize armed policemen to the scene.

Protesters were said to be enraged with the clandestine moves by some electoral officers of the party, particularly from the Kwara Central to manipulate the results in favour of some aspirants ahead of the governorship primary election of the party.

The Herald learnt that some members of the party felt shortchanged in the conduct of the congress and if steps were not taken to address their grievances now, similar scenario may repeat self in subsequent congresses of the party.

Some political thugs whose number could not be ascertained at the time of this report were allegedly apprehended on Saturday at one of the venues of the ward congress election in Ilorin and were being detained in the area command of the state Police command.

It was gathered that some aggrieved members were still weighing options of seeking redress in a law court instead of waiting for the appeal panel set up by the party to look at the issues resulting from the congress due to crisis of confidence among some top party executives.

A senior party member told The Herald on the condition of anonymity yesterday that if the appeal panel failed to adjudicate in line with due process, the aggrieved members may refer the matter to a competent court.

Though PDP National leadership had severally expressed its aversion for any member taking it to court on issues that could be amicably resolved.

However, in a telephone chat yesterday, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Chief Rex Olawoye, denied that there was any party property destroyed by the angry members during the protest, saying it was a case of some persons who came to register their displeasure over alleged substitution of names of people arrived at during the ward congress.

Olawoye, who noted that the protesters came from different parts of Kwara Central, said their grouse would be looked into by the electoral appeal panel, which begins sitting from today (Monday).

Meanwhile, a socio-political group, the Kwara Think Tank yesterday threatened that the state PDP risks mass defection from its fold if any attempt was made to tamper with the results of the ward congress that held on Saturday.

At a press conference in Ilorin, the group alleged desperate nocturnal bid to tamper with the official results of the PDP ward congress across the state, particularly in Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Asa, Oke-Ero and some other areas in the state.

The group, led by Comrade Adams Aliyu fingered some members of the State Executives Committee of the PDP in the state, particularly the State Chairman, Barr. Iyiola Akogun Oyedepo, warning that any attempt by the Chairman and his sponsors to subvert the will of the electorate in the party will be sternly resisted.

"The chairman, apparently acting on the instructions of some Abuja-based politicians has been trying unsuccessfully to substitute the results of the congress from across the sixteen Local Government Areas of the state, particularly in Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Asa, Oke-ero and other parts of Kwara State for obvious narrow interest.

"We urge the national leadership of our great party, the PDP, to immediately call Mr. Iyiola, his sponsors and the rest to order before they all plunge the party into monumental crisis that may affect the fortunes of the party in the state.

"The reason for our membership of the PDP is hinged on the promise of equity and fairness. There has been nothing, until now, that threatens our resolve on the PDP.

"If our concerns are not addressed as quickly as possibly by all concerned, we shall be left with no other option than to seek refuge in other places where our struggle for freedom from imposition and undemocratic tendencies will be protected an guaranteed.