Date: 2018-05-18

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State deepened Thursday as the Prince Sunday Fagbemi faction of the party met in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, and resolved to pick the party's governorship candidate for the 2019 polls by consensus.

THISDAY gathered that at the meeting, the stakeholders also resolved to begin the tour of all the 16 local government areas of the state next week to sensitise party members and residents on preparations for the 2019 general election.

According to sources, a former special adviser on National Assembly Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Suleiman Ajadi; the pioneer chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Kunle Suleiman; a party elder in the state, Alhaji Ayinla Folorunsho; Chairman, Elders Forum, Chief S.A. Adedayo; pioneer National Assistant Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Henry Olaosebikan; Hon. llyasu Ibrahim, Mr. Moses Ibiyemi and Mr. Ashaolu were some of the prominent personalities that attended the meeting.

Asides, stakeholders of all the branches of the party in the state were in attendance at a meeting convened by a factional leader, Prince Sunday Fagbemi.

Fagbemi and four other chieftains of the PDP are in court challenging the election of Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo as the state chairman of the party.

The Fagbemi group got a major boost last week when the Federal High Court, Ilorin hearing the suit dismissed all the six grounds of preliminary objections raised by Oyedepo and his co-defendants.

The court held that: "On the whole, I find that the objections of the defendants are only unsustainable and are completely lacking in merit. This preliminary objection therefore fails on all grounds and its hereby dismissed."

The presiding judge, Justice N.I Afolabi, further held that "from all facts and documentary evidence placed before the court, it is evident that there is in fact a cause of action established by the alleged irregularly conducted congress and the fact that the second to sixth defendants are alleged to have continued parading themselves as the state executive committee in spite of the decision of the Appeal Panel.

"It would appear to my mind therefore that there are serious and actionable issues placed before the court by the plaintiffs and same are actionable against the defendants presently before the court".

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Fagbemi said the meeting was summoned to update members on the state of the party regarding its leadership.

He said the stakeholders were briefed on the journey so far on the leadership crisis and urged them to remain calm and allow the law to take its course.

The factional leader also urged PDP members across the state to start mobilising for votes ahead of 2019 general election.