Kwara SDP Crisis Worsens As Chairman Sues Factional Officers

Pioneer chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kwara State, Comrade Ibrahim Mabolaje Yahaya, has dragged 18 national and state executives of the party to court over the control of the party structure in the state.

Some of the defendants in the suit number FHC/IL/CS/40/2022, filed before the federal high court, Ilorin on June 8, 2022 include the national chairman of the SDP, Dr Olu Agunloye, the national secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hon Bashir Bolarinwa, and factional Kwara State SDP chairman, Alhaji Azeez Afolabi, and other members of his executives.

Yahaya, and three other members of his faction of the SDP, Mr Oluwole Bello (secretary), Adelowo Julius (treasurer) and Mrs. Iyabo Rachael (Woman Parliament Speaker) are seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the first to fifth defendants and their agents from recognising and accepting Azeez Afolabi and other members of his factional executives: and other SDP members of the executive committee at all levels in Kwara State as the officials of the SDP at the state, local government and ward levels in Kwara State based on the election conducted at the purported state congress of the SDP on April 26, 2022.

The plaintiffs are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the first to fifth defendants and their agents from acting or giving effect to any resolution(s), decisions and activities such as election of delegates and primary election done or conducted by the Azeez Afolabi and other defendants; and other SDP members of the executive committee at all levels in Kwara State as the officials of the SDP at the state, local government and ward levels in the state sequel to their elections conducted at the purported state congress of the SDP held on April 26, 2022.

They are also seeking an order for perpetual injunction restraining Afolabi Azeez and his factional executives (and other SDP members of the executive committee at all levels in Kwara State) from parading themselves as Kwara state officers, local government and ward officers of the SDP based on their purported elections conducted at the purported state congress of the SDP held on April 26, 2022.

Similarly, the plaintiffs also sought an order of the court directing the first to fifth defendants to “recognize the plaintiffs as members of Kwara State executive committee, members of all the local government and ward executive committee of the SDP faction led by the first plaintiff (Ibrahim Mabolaje Yahaya) in their respective capacities which include the chairman, secretary, treasurer and state women speaker respectively.”

The suit, which was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by their counsel, Dr Solomon Afolabi, was supported by a 43-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Comrade Ibrahim Mabolaje Yahaya.