By Lola Idahosa, Kaduna
About 20 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants from the North-West have protested what they described as irregularities in the party’s screening exercise for the area which began in Kaduna on Sunday
“It is no longer a hidden fact that the governors have designed and are perfecting an imposition agenda by anointing unpopular candidates specifically in Jigawa, Katsina and Kebbi states,” some of the protesters alleged in Kaduna at a press conference.
A former Deputy Governor of Kebbi state, Ibrahim Aliyu, led 20 of the others including, Senator Ibrahim Idah, from Katsina State, a former Minister of Aviation, Felix Hassan Hyat, from Kaduna state and Abba Anas Adamu, from Jigawa state.
According to them, “much as it pains us to point this out, nonetheless we have to say that the party faithful and indeed all the other sympathizers view this as a calculated attempt to frustrate and deliberately compromise bright chances of success in the 2015 general elections.
“It is our earnest belief that flag bearers of the party at all levels should emerge through clear and transparent process in accordance with the provisions of the party’s Constitution, rules, regulations and guidelines.
“The party leadership and all those to whom it may concern must act promptly to stop this deliberately designed political game plan that is certain to lead our great party to serious electoral difficulties in the North-West zone as this will give an unfortunate but avoidable advantage to the opposition.
“We call on the national leadership of our party to ensure a level playing ground for all aspirants so that free and fair elections primaries can be conducted at all levels, such that the outcome will be acceptable to us and to our teeming supporters.
“We want to draw the attention of our party and the general public, particularly the people of the North-West zone, to the fact that the zone, given its historical political influence, voting strength and the increasing ferocity of the opposition, is very critical to the fortunes of our party in the 2015 general elections.”
