NONYE EKWENUGO
Kaduna
A People’s Democratic Party Chairmanship Candidate in Kaduna State, Danjuma Bello Sarki, has condemned the recent State congress election that produced Edward Masha as the State’s Chairman, citing widespread manipulation and rigging.
Addressing a world press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State council Secretariate flanked by his supporters, Comrade Sarki described the conduct of the election as nothing but a charade that should not be allowed.
In the text of his briefing, Comrade Sarki said, “I am here today to express my sadness and grief over the charade of an election conducted by the Kaduna Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where due process was murdered for selfish interest as against the interest of the members of the party.
“Obviously, what happened at the trade fair complex; the venue of the State Congress yesterday was nothing, but a fraud and it was in contravention of the constitution and guidelines for the conduct of Ward, Local Government Areas, State, Zonal Congresses, and the National Convention of the Party.
“The mode of the election was to be open-secret ballot in conformity with the constitution and guidelines for the conduct of elections of our great party; the PDP, but instead, some elements within the party who do not wish the party well, especially in Kaduna state manipulated the process, as against the constitution and guidelines of our great party, the PDP.
“However, it is important to make it known to the public that after the accreditation of delegates who by their constitutional right are to vote, but unfortunately, the names of the preferred candidates, especially for the position of the Chairmanship was written at the back of the delegates tags and were threatened and forced to swear to agree to vote their imposed candidate”
He said, when it became obvious to the leaders who were behind the fraud that the delegates were not going their way, they infiltrated the venue with all manners of people, and seized the ballot papers from the delegates and started writing the name of their preferred candidate on the ballot papers as seen in a particular video in circulation.
The PDP Chairmanship at some point, the venue became rowdy and disorderly with people who had no business being there making their ways in and causing confusion with the uncontrollable nature of the venue, “where it became easy for the manipulators to carry out their dirty job”.
“It is very unfortunate, and without mincing words, I can say categorically clear that what happened at the State Congress of PDP in Kaduna yesterday was nothing, but a rape on democracy, and an abuse of the constitution and guidelines for the conduct of state congresses of the PDP by anti-democratic forces who are bent on keeping our part out of power, hence the reason for my walk out before the end of the voting exercise.
“Simply put, I was not defeated in a free, fair and credible election, rather I was rigged out, being the reason for this Press Conference in order to put the record straight, and to make it known to the public that the election (State Congress) was not transparent, and did not go in the manner it should be”.
He said, it is very unfortunate that despite being in the opposition for about a decade and suffered three consecutive defeat in the gubernatorial elections, the leadership of the party could not see reason to conduct free, fair and credible election that would usher in a credible leader with the required capacity to wrestle power from the ruling APC in Kaduna state come 2027.
No doubt, he averred they are all living witnesses to how PDP was rigged out during the last gubernatorial election in Kaduna state, stressing that if the leaders had come out in their numbers just like they did against him yesterday (Saturday )to manipulate the process of the election, PDP would not have been in the opposition in Kaduna state today.
He however, thanked his campaign team for a fantastic job, they delegates who against all odds voted for him, those who also wanted to vote for him but were denied, and leaders of the party who supported him despite the threat and intimidation.
“Let me also acknowledge the members of the PDP who so much believe in my capacity to transform PDP, as well as the people of Kaduna state who were expectant of A NEW VISION in PDP in Kaduna state, and not forgetting my family members and friends who stood by me throughout the processes”.
While fielding questions on his next line of action, he simply said only time will tell.
