Some members of the Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have said the selection of the chairmanship candidates of the party in the October 26 local government election in the state is unconstitutional.

They also said the selection of the candidates was unlawful, illegal, null and void, because it did not comply with the PDP 2001 constitution, as amended.

The aggrieved PDP members are praying the Federal High Court, sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, to restrain the state Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) from conducting the election on the planned date.

The plaintiffs are: Alhaji Ademola Yusuf, Adebayo Jimoh and Prince Haliru D. Mahmud.

Joined in the suit are: the New PDP (first defendant), Senator Bukola Saraki (second defendant), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of Security Services (DSS) and the 15 chairmanship candidates.

In their originating summons supporting the 18-paragraph affidavit, the plaintiffs' counsel, Abubakar Othman, accused the PDP, Saraki and the state chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani (third defendant) of depriving his clients "the opportunity to exercise their right to contest for the primary election qualifying them to stand for election for the chairmen of the various local government areas".

Othman said: "In the circumstances of this case, KWSIEC can proceed to conduct the forthcoming local government election, fixed for October 26, or any other date, with the fourth to 18th defendants as the chairmanship candidates."