Some members of the Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have described the selection of the chairmanship candidates for the October 26th council poll in the state as unconstitutional.

They further averred that the selection of the council chairmanship candidates was unlawful, unconstitutional, illegal, null and void, arguing that it was not in compliance with the PDP 2001 Constitution as amended.

Aggrieved PDP members have therefore approached the Federal High Court, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, to restrain the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) from conducting the said election at the above stated date.

The plaintiffs are Alhaji Ademola Yusuf, Alhaji Adebayo Jimoh and Prince Haliru D. Mahmud. Joined in the suit in the matter are New PDP (1st defendant), Senator Bukola Saraki (2nd defendant), Inspector General of Police, Director-General of Department of Security Services and the 15 chairmanship candidates.

In their originating summons supported with 18-paragraph affidavit, plaintiffs’ counsel, Abubakar Othman accused the PDP, Senator Saraki and state chair of PDP, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani (3rd defendant) of depriving his clients “of the opportunity to exercise their right to contest for the primary election qualifying them to stand election for the chairmen of the various local government areas.”

Mr. Othman asked, “In the circumstances of this case, KWSIEC can proceed to conduct the forthcoming local government election fixed for the 26th of October 2013 or any other date with 4th to 18th defendants as the chairmanship candidates.”

The plaintiffs therefore sought the following reliefs:

• A declaration that the acts of selection or imposition by the 2nd and 3rd defendants of the 4th to 18th defendants as the chairmanship candidates of the PDP for the council poll without holding primary election as required by the constitution is a violation of the PDP constitution;

• A declaration that the reconciliatory committee set up by the 2nd defendant to pacify the aggrieved plaintiffs whose right to contest the primary election of the PDP was violated and abated is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void;

• An order of injunction restraining the chairmanship candidates from parading, addressing and or presenting themselves as candidates of PDP; an order restraining KWSIEC’s agents, privies, and/or any person however claiming it from accepting, treating, recognizing and or dealing with the 4th to 11th defendants as the chairmanship candidates of the PDP for the purposes of council poll;

• An order of the court directing the PDP to conduct a proper primary election in line with the provisions of the constitution of the PDP, and

• An order of injunction restraining the IGP and Director-General of the DSS from providing security and or making available its personnel, agents, men and or servants to serve as security personnel and or in any way or manner participating in the proposed local council poll.