John Adams, Minna
A major crisis has engulfed the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger state with less than ten days to its local and state congresses scheduled for 8th and 12th of this month respectively with a group accusing the national Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus and the former Governor of the state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu of an orchestrated plan to hijack the congresses.
The group specifically accused the National Secretariat of the party for dancing to the tune of the former governor by extending the sales of nomination forms after the exercise has been closed four months ago, describing the action as a breach of the party guidelines and constitution.
The group led by the former deputy governor of the state, Dr. Nuhu Zagbayi Shem and former senator representing Niger South Senatorial District, Hajiya Zainab Kure, while briefing newsmen in Minna on Wednesday, said it is unconstitutional for sales of nomination forms to recommence after the exercise lapsed four months ago, and therefore asked the National Secretariat to take cognizance of the situation.
“This actions are vehemently rejected, reprehensible and a spite on the hardworking and loyal members of this great party that have kept the party flag flying even after a key beneficiary of the party worked against it in 2015 and landed it in the opposition”.
The aggrieved group which also consists of former External Affairs Minister, Abubakar Achituwo, a Senatorial candidate of the part in the 2019 election, Alhaji Ishyaku Ibrahim (SAN), Gubernatorial running mate of the Party, Ndayeko, former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ndako Kpaki, asked the National Secretariat to allow for a level playing field for all members of the party in the forthcoming Congress.
The group feared that the extension of the sales of nomination forms is a calculated attempt to shift the scheduled congresses and allow manipulation of the entire process, and warned that any attempt by the national Secretariat to shift the congress for whatever reason will be resisted as the state was set to elect its officials.
The group further pointed out that it is quite disturbing, the refusal of the national chairman to acknowledge and meet majority stakeholders from the state to be briefed on the true situation on happenings within the party, adding “this is very disturbing to say the least.
“We therefore call on the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus to stop any further manipulation of the Congress rules and regulations as any further such action will be tantamount an attack on the party he chairs”
Reacting to this development, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Garba Umar Chiza described that allegations of the group as baseless, saying that there is no plan by either the national Secretariat or anybody to interfere with the process of the forthcoming congress elections.
On the extension of the deadline for the sales of nomination forms, Chiza said “the national bod of our party okayed the extension of the sales of the nomination forms to allow for a wide inclusion of all interested persons, especially those who were earlier screened out of the party”.