The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified in Kwara State, where its two rival factions have nominated separate governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction, to which the leader of the party in the state, former Governor Bukola Saraki, belongs, had announced Kale Kawu as the PDP governorship candidate.
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This was achieved through a consensus arrangement brokered by Mr Saraki, in which other aspirants stepped down for Mr Kawu.
However, that facade of unity in the local chapter of the party was broken on Sunday when the Kabir Turaki (SAN) faction unveiled another long-time associate of Mr Saraki, Ladi Hassan, as its standard-bearer.
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The twist has sparked concerns among party faithful and political observers about a protracted legal and political tussle over the PDP ticket for the 2027 governorship election.
Reacting to the development, the state PDP Secretary, Kayode Abdulrahman, condemned Mr Hassan’s nomination, alleging that external forces orchestrated it to destabilise the party.
According to him, Mr Hassan had participated in the faction’s governorship primary and lost, only to reappear through what he described as an unrecognised faction.
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“For him to have emerged as a governorship candidate in the fake PDP that is not recognised by INEC speaks volumes. He must have been sponsored by people outside our party. But I assure you they can’t succeed,” Mr Abdulrahman said.
The development has further exposed divisions within the party at a time when it is seeking to reposition itself ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Political observers warned that unless the crisis is resolved quickly, it could undermine the PDP’s challenge for power in the state.
Meanwhile, a political pressure group within the party, the Kwara Patriotic Movement (Itesiwaju Kwara), has called for the immediate suspension of Mr Hassan over alleged violation of the consensus agreement that produced Mr Kale.
In a statement jointly signed by its secretary, Uthman Kabir, and publicity secretary, Yusuf Dare, the group accused Mr Hassan of reneging after allegedly signing the agreement alongside other aspirants.
“For 48 hours, Kwara Patriotic Movement waited for clarity, for correction, for honour. What we saw instead was Mr Ladi Hassan, a signatory to the PDP’s sacred consensus agreement, standing openly with the faction working to undermine that same agreement,” the statement read.
Describing consensus as the foundation of internal party stability, the group said agreements reached among party stakeholders should not be abandoned in pursuit of personal ambition.
“A consensus agreement is not a campaign flyer you discard when another offer looks brighter. It is the glue that holds a party together,” it stated.
The group also commended Mr Saraki for what it described as his commitment to party unity and structured leadership.
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It warned that failure to enforce discipline could weaken the PDP’s prospects in future elections and urged the party leadership to take decisive action.
“Party discipline is not punishment. It is protection. It protects the integrity of our process, the confidence of our members, and the future of our governorship ambition,” the statement added.
The group urged the PDP state leadership to suspend Mr Hassan, insisting that the party must choose between “discipline or decay.”
As of the time of filing this report, neither Mr Hassan nor the Kwara State PDP leadership had officially responded to the allegations.
With both factions holding firmly to their positions, attention is now expected to turn to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and, possibly, the courts to determine the rightful candidate of the former ruling party in Kwara State.
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