ABUJA (SundiataPost) – The Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema has denied reports that he has imposed a gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 elections.
Speaking to State House correspondents after a
meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa on Monday, he said he could only support any candidate after the primary election.
Reacting to the petitions by six gubernatorial aspirants under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ahmed Muazu, warning that the party
risked losing next year’s election in the state because of an imposition of a candidate by him, Shema denied anointing any candidate, saying that the party’s candidate could only emerge after the conduct of the primary election.
He dismissed the petition outrightly, noting that politicians would always write petitions.
He assured that just like in previous elections, the PDP would retain the state in 2015 general election.
The petitioners include Senator Ibrahim Ida; former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Tukur Jikamshi;
Mallam Gide Yar’Adua, Mallam Ahmed Yar’Adua, Mallam Kabir Barkiya and Mallam Mohammed Khalil.
In the petition dated 4th November, 2015, they alleged that Governor Shema conveyed a meeting of his cabinet and personal aides without involving the stakeholders of the party and announced the “anointment” of one Engr. Musa Nashumi as
his gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 general election.
According to the petition, “the said anointed candidate is not only a stranger in the political environment of
the state, but is also unpopular even in his immediate constituency.
“Contrary to the provision of party
guidelines, which provide for holding of wards and local government congress for the purpose, the state governor unilaterally compiled a list of all the ad-hoc delegates for the 361 wards and the national delegate of 34 local governments with the intent of using
these for all the forthcoming primary election.
“Following these improper actions taken by the state governor, all the party members and supporters in the
state are now in a state of shock, confusion and fear of losing all elections in 2015.
“Although Katsina State is a stronghold of the PDP in the north west zone, it is also the home state of the leading members of the opposition. Therefore, for the party to succeed in the 2015 general election, it must field a popular and acceptable candidate,”
The petitioners therefore requested the PDP chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) to “reject any anointment of a gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 general
election in Katsina State.
“Send a fact-finding team to Katsina State to establish the true state of affairs of the party in the state in
particularly, true relationship between the state government and the party stakeholders at all levels.
“The party should ensure that there is a level playing field for all the stakeholders in the state so that
no one will be excluded in all political
activities.”
The petition was copied to all members of the PDP NWC.