Four chairmanship contestants of the People Democratic Party, PDP, in Kaduna State under the auspices of the “Forum of State Chairmanship Contestants” have refuted the allegations of stepping down from the race.
A statement issued by Hon. Ashafa Waziri, on behalf of other chairmanship aspirants in Kaduna on Wednesday and made available to Viraltrendnews said,
“We wish to unequivocally state that we are all in the race and none of us has backed out, withdrawn or stepped down. We urge you to discountenance the malicious rumours being spread by enemies of progress that we have stepped down.”
The contestants affirmed their resolve to see the end of the exercise, which is expected to culminate in a congress and election of new officers of the party.
“It is pertinent we do mention that no amount of blackmail, mudslinging, propaganda, false and malicious gossips will make any of us back out of the race. If, however, reasons call for that, we will return here and duly inform the press.”
They noted that it is sad, distressing and unfortunate that a group of people have purportedly called for a meeting in the name of southern Kaduna Zone three, without following the constitutionally approved procedures.
They alleged that the meeting is being orchestrated to illegally endorse a particular candidate and claim it is the decision of the entire southern Kaduna leadership.
“We as chairmanship contestants, who are critical stakeholders in the process were not invited and we have it on good authority that the hatchers of the meeting intend to claim that we have stepped down from the contest and thereafter announce the adoption of a particular candidate.“If that happens tomorrow, it will be the height of rascality and impunity and such acts can only be carried out by a disgruntled and undemocratic bunch of desperados with incurable lust to grab power through the back door, in the most uncivilized and barbaric manner, via a strange and illegal consensus option, unknown to the constitution of the PDP,”
The statement observed.
The contestants explained that they are not a party to the as orchestrated illegal meeting, as it is cosmetic, hypocritical and hollow, and unknown to the ideals and principles of the PDP or its constitution that has a clear cut pattern for meetings and who is eligible to convene and those to attend.
The contestants warned that as long as a meeting of the Southern Senatorial Zone is not convened by the highest political office holder in the Zone, Senator Danjuma Tella Laah, that such a meeting is illegal and any decision, thereafter, taken is null and void.
The four contestants are Chief Abubakar Gaiya Haruna, Hon Bulus Kajang, Hon Ado Dogo Audu and Hon Ashafa Waziri.
