By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

ILORIN — Leaders, elders, stakeholders, and aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have affirmed their commitment to participate fully in the party’s upcoming national convention in Abuja.

The decision was reached at an emergency meeting held at the state secretariat on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, following a directive from the State Executive Committee to deliberate on issues relating to the March 29 convention.

The communiqué issued after the meeting was jointly signed by Hon. Isa Bawa Adamu, State Chairman, Kwara PDP; Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani for the Council of Elders; Hajia Nimotailani Ibrahim for Board of Trustees members; and Rt. Hon. Prof. Ali Ahmad for aspirants.

Stakeholders extensively debated the necessity of Kwara’s representation at the Abuja convention, particularly following their participation in an earlier gathering held in Ibadan last November. After deliberations, the meeting unanimously agreed that delegates from the state must attend and actively participate.

“We agreed that our delegates should attend and fully participate in the coming national convention in Abuja on March 29,” the communiqué stated.

The leaders added that the convention’s outcome would guide the state chapter’s next steps. They emphasized that if the exercise is successfully conducted in line with legal requirements and duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), another meeting will be convened to review developments.

“If the National Convention is successful and witnessed by INEC as required by law, we will reconvene to assess the situation and recommend to our leaders to use the PDP as the platform for the 2027 general elections,” the communiqué said.

Reaffirming confidence in the party’s strength, stakeholders maintained that the PDP remains deeply rooted across all 16 local government areas of Kwara State, describing it as unmatched in popularity and acceptance.

“The PDP remains a very popular, credible, and widely accepted platform in Kwara State. No other political party can match its reach and acceptability across the state,” the communiqué added, noting that national-level developments have not weakened the state structure.

The meeting also commended party members for their loyalty and resilience amid ongoing political developments, urging continued unity ahead of future elections.

Prof. Ali Ahmad, representing aspirants, stressed that Kwara State will remain in the PDP only if the party continues to offer a viable platform for elections. “We will go to the Abuja convention. If we see INEC monitoring, we will participate fully; otherwise, we won’t,” he said.