With 1,555 votes, Atunwa defeats Lafiagi to emerge Kwara PDP governorship candidate

Former Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Razak Atunwa, on Monday, got the mandate of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North-Central state to fly the party’s governorship flag in 2019.
Atunwa, a member of the House of Representatives and former Information Commissioner, emerged the candidate after polling 1,555 votes.
His challenger and former governor of the state, Senator Sha’aba Lafiagi, got 578 votes.
While Atunwa hails from Asa Local Government in Kwara Central Senatorial District, Lafiagi hails from Edu Local Government in Kwara North.
Before the commencement of voting by accredited delegates from the 193 wards in the state, some aspirants withdrew from the race.
They include the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad , Alhaji Saka Isau (SAN), Alhaji Ladi Hassan, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, Hon. Ahman Pategi, Alhaji Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim, Prof. Sulaiman Abubakar and Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who explained that the aspirants withdrew from the race because of the party’s interest, thanked them for their act of magnanimity.
The governor also thanked Senate Leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki, for stepping in to douse tension before the exercise.