A former Commissioner and a female contestant for the Kwara North Senatorial primary election, Hajia Aisha Ahman-Pategi has disowned the results of the Peoples Democratic Party’s primary election held at Shao in Moro local government area of Kwara State on Monday.
The results of the primary elections in the five local government areas constituting the Senatorial zone released by the PDP Elections Committee showed that Ahman-Pategi lost the election to Alhaji Issa Bawa, a former Commissioner for Local government and Chieftancy Affairs who was her co-contestant by a vote of 28 to 132 votes in the election.
According to the details of the result, Ahman-Pategi scored three votes in Edu local government against 26 votes scored by Bawa, zero in Kaiama LG against 31, and two in Patigi LG against 29 votes scored by her opponent while she scored seven votes in Moro LG and 16 in Baruten against Bawa’s score of 44 votes and one vote in Moro and Baruten local government area respectively.
Ahman-Pategi in a signed statement made available to our correspondent in Ilorin on Tuesday, said that the election was fraught with irregularities.
While expressing appreciation to the party and her teeming supporters, Ahman-Pategi said that she would seek redress from the Appeal committee of the party.
Her words, “the exercise though peaceful was not without irregularities which contravenes the tenets of free, fair and transparent election.”
“While expressing disappointment over the bullying, intimidation and threatening of delegates perceived to be her supporters, she urged the delegates and all aggrieved parties to continue to maintain calm and conduct themselves in a peaceful manner, saying all the identified irregularities that characterised the exercise shall be challenged and adequately addressed at the appeal.”
She emphasised that the internal mechanisms of the party shall be adopted to resolve the anomalies, hence, no cause for alarm.
The former commissioner also thanked the party for providing her the opportunity to contest and clamour for women inclusiveness at all levels of governance.
She promised to rededicate herself to the service of the party and humanity at large, adding “let’s keep our hope alive while we await the outcome of the appeal panel.”
“Thanks for your love, support and sacrifices, I’m proud of you all,” she concluded.
