Documents were allegedly submitted to INEC claiming that Iliasu had voluntarily withdrawn from the senatorial race in favour of Jiya
By Kehinde Emmanuel, Ilorin
A fresh crisis has engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State following allegations that a forged affidavit was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the party’s Kwara North senatorial candidate, Rotimi Iliasu, in favour of businessman Kolo Jiya.
Iliasu had earlier secured the PDP ticket to contest for the Kwara North Senatorial District before Jiya, who is also from the district, joined the party.
Sources familiar with the development alleged that the party subsequently decided to replace Iliasu with Jiya, reportedly due to the latter’s financial strength.
Several attempts were allegedly made to persuade Iliasu to relinquish the ticket, but he reportedly refused to step down.
Following his refusal, documents were allegedly submitted to INEC claiming that Iliasu had voluntarily withdrawn from the senatorial race in favour of Jiya.
Among the documents was an affidavit purportedly sworn by Iliasu, indicating his consent to the withdrawal and substitution.
However, Iliasu reportedly denied signing any withdrawal document or voluntarily relinquishing his candidature.
The controversy deepened after the authenticity of the disputed affidavit was reportedly checked with the Kwara State High Court.
The court, in its response, was said to have indicated that the affidavit did not originate from its records, raising allegations that the document was forged.
Copies of the disputed affidavit and the court’s response have reportedly been made available to the press.
The dispute has since escalated to the Federal High Court, Ilorin Division, where the matter is currently pending.
Meanwhile, sources close to Iliasu have alleged that he has received several threats from individuals suspected to be behind the alleged plot to remove him as the party’s senatorial candidate.
The unfolding controversy has heightened tensions within the Kwara PDP, with the dispute over the party’s senatorial ticket raising fresh questions about internal democracy, candidate substitution and the integrity of documents submitted to INEC.
The allegations are yet to be established by the court.