Barely ten weeks to the local government council polls in Kwara State, the 'state of harmony', members of the Saraki political dynasty appear to be in disarray over the choice of flag bearers for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming election.

Investigations byDaily Newswatch revealed that protests marred the primaries and selection of candidates of the ruling the party across the state. For instance, people suspected to be political thugs disrupted primary election at Omu-Aran, headquarters of Irepodun council area of the state penultimate Wednesday.  The PDP reported zoned the chairmanship ticket to Omu-Aran ward where two aspirants namely Mr. Akeem Owolewa and Mr. Damilola Oladipo (a.k.a. Kanu) were serious contenders.

A source at the local government secretariat, Omu-Aran, revealed that trouble started when Kanu realized that his rival, Owolewa was in the early lead. This, the source added, resulted in invitation of thugs to disrupt the primary election.

The story was not different in Ekiti council where one of the media aides to Senator Bukola Saraki was allegedly imposed on the party as its chairmanship candidate in the local government.   It was further gathered that his candidature was being rejected by the party elders and faithful because of alleged certificate scandal as the people claimed he was a "Toronto" product.

This development, our correspondent learnt, snowballed into the decamping of some party members in the local government area from PDP to the newly formed All Progressive Party (APC). In Ilorin West local government council area, hundreds of PDP members also embarked on a peaceful demonstration against the zoning of chairmanship seat to Ajikobi ward.   The demonstrators, who were mainly youths, were from Alanamu, Ubandawaki and Adewole wards of the local government area.

According to an eye witness, the protest which lasted for over four hours, kicked off from the party secretariat in Alanamu ward along Isale Aluko street in the IIorin metropolis.   Led by the chairman of youth associations in the IIorin central constituency, Alhaji AbdulFatai Ubandawaki, the aggrieved party members carried placards with various inscriptions condemning the act. Addressing newsmen, Ubandawaki described the party decision to zone the chairmanship seat to Ajikobi ward as betrayal of trust, stressing that Alanamu ward was the next to produce council boss in the local government in line with the rotational policy of the party.

The leader of the group later handed over written copies of their grievances to the PDP local government chairman, Alhaji Bala Olanrewaju at council secretariat at Agbo-Oba in IIorin   Responding, Olanrewaju promised to deliver the message to the party leader in the state, Senator Bukola Saraki. Reacting to the attendant protests that heralded the party primaries, PDP secretary in the state,  Prince Yemi Afolayan denied knowledge of any protests, saying the state executive committee of the party has not receive any protest letter or aware of any protest from any local government area in the state.

According to him, council bosses in the forthcoming local government council polls will emerge on the basis of their popularity and track record of achievements, stressing that PDP has no anointed candidate.   "The party is not having any anointed candidates in any of the council areas. The candidates should test their popularity", he added.