By Amos Tauna
Kaduna (Nigeria) — A group in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), known as People’s Democratic Advocate (PDA), has called on the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the Party, Ahmed Makarfi to ensure that transparency is the watchword in all elective positions of the party’s national convention.
The group noted that any imposition of candidates in the coming convention would not be in the interest of the party as it tries to reposition itself.
A statement by Chairman of the group in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria, Adamu Ahmed Dattijo, said it aligned itself with the Enugu Declaration whereby the eminent party’s stakeholders unanimously agreed that all political party positions must be contested for at the forthcoming National Convention, especially where there is more than one aspirant to that office.
The group indicted the PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman of trying to deny Abubakar Mustapha the opportunity to vie for a higher position as equity and justice demands.
“Because of the attempted manipulation of the Makarfi led Caretaker Committee to deny Abubakar Mustapha the opportunity to vie for a higher position as equity and justice demands, we are in total support of the Enugu Declaration, because it tallies with the universally acceptable standard definition of equity, fairness and justice.
“We are amazed with the misinformation making the rounds that the position of the National Secretary, which was never zoned has been micro- zoned and even micro-named to Katsina State on the false assertion that both Kaduna and Katsina States are under a rotational arrangement, which confers on each State the right to produce a candidate over the other alternately,” the group noted.
The group stated that it defies any logic and common sense to consider the same scenario with different panacea, adding, “What operates in the caliphate states of Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto is an attestation to our postulations.
“The last occupant of the National Treasurer was from Kebbi State, but the position of woman leader, that ought to be rotated was further micro zoned and micro named to Kebbi State thereby suggesting that the action of the conveners was anything but equitable and just.
“We are aware that the Chairman Caretaker committee in pursuit of his known trait of impunity ,which he has been exhibiting in the course of his duty and in furtherance to his presidential ambition, has decided to stand on grounds where Angels fear to tread by subsuming any person interested within the state under his threshold.
“The Enugu declaration has put paid to any attempt to foreclose any chance for a national contest. We stand resolutely and firmly with Abubakar Mustapha as our aspirant from Kaduna State, for the exalted position of the National Secretary.
“He has the requisite experience, pedigree and competence to manage such an exalted office. We hasten to add that there has ever been any such arrangement of exchange of batons between Kaduna and Katsina States.”
The group therefore called on delegates to vote massively for Abubakar Mustapha, saying that amongst other candidates, he remains the most qualified candidate based on his antecedents.
