Noah Ebije , Sola Ojo, Kaduna.
Kaduna-Zaria highway was practically shut down on Tuesday as the governorship candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Alhaji Isa Ashiru, kick-started his campaign at the International Trade Fair Complex.
Hundreds of thousands of party supporters trooped to the venue, literarily blocking the Kaduna-Zaria highway.
Several commuters plying the roads on both sides were stranded for several hours as a result of the unprecedented crowd that graced the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashiru said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State has failed and urged the people to vote out Governor Nasir el-Rufai in the forth coming election.
He called on the people to ensure that they come out enmass to vote for the PDP at all levels to return the state and the country to the path of sanity and progress.
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Ashiru also condemned the Kaduna State government for alleged indiscriminate sacking of civil servants and teachers and promised that if elected, he would set up a committee to review the cases of the sacked workers with the view of reinstating those whose appointments were unjustly terminated.
“I want all of you to ensure that you keep your voters cards safely. Your voter’s card is your power.
“Civil servants, teachers, where are you? We are assuring you, If we are voted into power, we will set up a committee to review the sacking of all teachers and civil servants by the APC government in Kaduna State.
“Those who were unjustly sacked would be reinstated. Therefore, I urged you not to bother.”
Also speaking, the National Chairman of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Alhaji Buba Galadima, declared that the APC government has brought hunger, poverty and insecurity on Nigerians.
He said: “Nigerians have been suffering from hunger, poverty and insecurity and by the grace of God, by February 16, the hardship would be over if you vote the PDP.
“You must make sure that you vote the PDP for president, governor and all other positions.
“You must protect your votes, come out enmass and ensure that you cast your vote no matter what!”
Also speaking at the rally, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, chided the APC government in the state for non performance.
He said Kaduna is for PDP and anyone who says Kaduna is not for PDP is deceiving himself.”
Dignitaries who attended the event had to be lifted up to the main venue by party supporters as their vehicles could not move due to crowd surge.
Dignitaries that attended the rally included former vice president, Namadi Sambo; former national caretaker chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; former governor of Jigawa States, Alhaji Sule Lamido; former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwoso; chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin and Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi among several other party stalwarts.