Zamfara: Election committee member picks holes in PDP guber primary 

From Sola Ojo

Jude in his reports to the party’s headquarters in Abuja noted that the primary that led to the emergence of Dauda Lawal Dare as the party’s candidate in the coming election in Zamfara State was developed by “massive rigging and irregularities” associated with the exercise.

The election committee member in a copy of the report obtained by The Sun further alleged connivance with Zamfara state Chairman of the party, Col. Bala Mande (rtd) and Chairman of the Election Committee, Adamu Maina Waziri to rig the May 25 exercise in favour of Dauda Dare to dislodge three other eligible contestants.

He said for example that, there was “no accreditation of delegates” who voted in the primary election adding that, all the voters came with “no form of identification nor party or INEC membership cards”.

That report read in part, “we were supposed to be a seven-man Committee but to my amazement, we became ten in number with the addition of totally strange persons; Daniel Samson and Abdullahi Ogbuji who joined us.

“When I raised my objection, the committee Chairman simply told me they were party officials from the headquarters.

“Pressmen and other observers were refused entry into the hall of the election, when I explained to the chairman that such an exercise should be transparent by allowing journalists to cover it, he rebuked me.

“At the commencement of voting, I observed that names of delegates being allowed to vote were not on the list of the party membership card, I was again rebuked by Adamu Maina Waziri.

“Elected PDP delegates who should have voted in the primary election were stranded outside the hall because they were barred from accessing the venue of the election.

“Agents of the three aspirants walked out of the exercise after observing unbearable irregularities with the exercise as observed”.

Ogbuo recommended to PDP Headquarters in Abuja in that report to bar Adamu Maina Waziri from conducting future assignments to save the image and reputation of the party.

“Kindly verify the merits and claims of the party primary election conducted with immense irregularities, disobedience and non-adherence to rules and regulations attached to such assignment for the good of our dear party.

“I must state that if the irregularities should be left unchecked or unverified and the fraudulent results allowed to stay and accepted and the likes of the committee Chairman, Adamu Waziri continue to conduct party primary elections it will be a lot of ills and very bad reputation to our great party”, he added in the report.