BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – An aspirant in the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship primaries in Kaduna State, Dr Muhammad Sani Bello, has rejected attempts to foist Alhaji Isa Ashiru Kudan on the party led by a former commissioner in the state, Dr. John Ayuba using the zone lll stakeholders Chairmen’s forum.
Speaking under the aegis of Maina Campaign Organization (MCO), the aspirant described as ‘fake news from zone l’ll PDP Stakeholders Chairmen’s Forum’, insisting that the attempt was clearly a sponsored plot to destabilize the PDP in the state.
A statement issued by 15 signatories from 10 local government areas of Southern Kaduna warned that foisting an unpopular candidate on the people will erode the enormous gains made by the PDP in terms of support and followership across the state.
The statement said; “The attention of the Maina Dr Muhammad Bello Sani, PhD, FCNA, Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation has been drawn to a statement credited to the above named Forum purportedly adapting one of the PDP’s numerous gubernatorial aspirants as the candidate of the party in the 2019 governorship election.
“This attempt to foist Alhaji Isa Ashiru Kudan on our party, led by Dr John Ayuba, using the Zone III Stakeholders Chairmen’s Forum is clearly a sponsored plot to destabilise the PDP and erode its enormous gains in terms of support and followership.
“There was never any meeting of stakeholders in any of the Local Government Areas in Southern Kaduna where its chairmen were mandated to assess the party’s candidates and no gathering where the stakeholders reported such a decision to the people.”
According to the statement; “Clearly, the report presented to the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) for endorsement lacks any legitimacy.
“The fact is that to date, all the candidates of our great party have been holding meetings amongst themselves to work on the possibility of presenting a consensus candidate to ensure that we enter the race as a united family.
“We support this initiative and believe it should be allowed to produce real results. Where this becomes impossible, we urge the party to conduct free and fair primaries to produce a candidate. Any attempt to truncate this strategy at this point can only come from enemies of the PDP.”
It further stated thus: “We, the undersigned stakeholders from the various local government areas in the Southern Kaduna zone, therefore state without equivocation that at no time did we mandate the chairmen of our stakeholders forum to meet with or adopt any of the party’s candidates.
“At no time did the chairmen ever brief the members on such a process let alone the conclusion produced.”
The campaign organization warned it would not accept a situation where Southern Kaduna is seen as selecting a candidate for Northern Kaduna or vice versa, adding; “We call on our teeming supporters in Southern Kaduna and elsewhere to ignore the fake report and skewed ranking of candidates by the so-called Southern Kaduna PDP Stakeholders Forum.”
Among signatories to the statement are Yohanna Jatau – Jaba LGA; Auta Mamman Busa – Chikun LGA; John Bezard – Sanga LGA; Allah-Magani Yohanna – Zangon Kataf LGA; Christopher Haruna – Zangon Kataf LGA; and Matthew Gwaza – Zangon Kataf LGA.
Others include Joshua Uchissa – Lere LGA; Dr. Everton Yari – Kajuru LGA; Isaac Bodams – Kaura LGA; Mrs Florence Aya – Kaura LGA; Tsahiru Bako – Jaba LGA; Joseph Sahjuri – Jaba LGA; Malam Lawal Suleiman Kauru – Kauru LGA; and Com. D. D. Bisalla – Jema’a LGA
