.Members threaten mass defection
ByUmar Rabio,
Minna
Protesters from Niger State’s 25 local government areas on Saturday, May 12, 2018, stormed Minna, the state capital, and matched down to the Government House following the forced endorsement of candidates during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congresses last Saturday.
The protesters were demanding the immediate reversal of the ‘‘forced affirmation and endorsement’’ of the candidates.
They accused the state Governor, Alhaji Abubarkar Sani Bello, and the party leadership in the state of conniving and denying members of the right to choose leaders of their choice in the wards and local government areas.
Our correspondent gathered that the protesters also threatened to defect to others parties enmasse if the last Saturday’s decision of the state party executive was not reversed immediately.
“We will leave the All Progressives Congress if nothing is done”, the protesters said.
They also accused Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of “missing” at his hometown in Kotangora Local Government Area through out the exercise and after.
It was further gathered that the people were not happy that the governor, who was supposed to be at his hometown, Kontagora, for the exercise and to provide explanations to some of the questions asked by the electorate was instead seen at the wedding of the son of former Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo.
The protests also held at Shiroro, Suleja, Tarfa, Lavun, Mokwa, Rafi, Munya, Agwarra, Rijau and Mashegu local government areas.
In Lavun local government area for instance, the delegates were against the affirmation of the sitting APC local government Chairman, Mallam Mohammed Ndagba, as they chanted: “There will be mass exodus from the party if nothing is done”.
Meanwhile, Niger State APC Chairman, Jibrin Imam, has described the Local Government Council congresses as ‘‘a huge success.’’
Imam claimed that those protesting were members of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), trying to ‘‘play funny and cause problems.’’
The state APC chairman said, “If truly they are members of the APC, they should go back to Kutigi in Lavun Local Government Area as delegates to participate instead of playing the script of the opposition PDP”.
Despite calls by the delegates for voting to elect candidates of their choice as party executive, the affirmation order took the day, leaving the aggrieved members no choice than to charter buses to the Government House in Minna to protest what they termed “irregularities.”
One of the leaders of the protesters, a former Chairman, Lavun Local Government Area, Mohammed Ibrahim Dakpanchi, said, “We are here to register our grievances on the congress. All the 12 wards are represented here today, the elders and stakeholders inclusive.
“When ward congress held last, ours was not conducted. We wrote a letter to the governor that we want the congress conducted but we got no response.
“The same group of people that did that rubbish last week are there today to repeat the same. People are not interested in the local government Chairman of the party, he is not trusted, and so also is the secretary.
“We are not against consensus but if there will be any, the people should be consulted and carried along but we weren’t consulted. Democracy is about consultations and rubbing minds but that wasn’t done.”
Dispelling allegations that they were sponsored by PDP, he said that it was the view of the state APC Chairman, Jibrin Imam, adding, “what they are doing is not what the party guidelines or rule says. We are not sponsored by the PDP or any other political party. We are bonafide members of the APC and we will leave the APC if the right thing is not done”.
He further alleged, “This is what PDP did that made them fail. APC came and promised us change but they are following the tide of the PDP. If this continues, what happened in the PDP will happen to the APC.”