The governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdullaziz Yari has been accused of conniving with the APC Congress Committee to manipulate the ward congresses which took place last Saturday.
In a petition which was signed by Ahmad Ahmad and others and made available to DAILY POST in Abuja, the ward Congress members across Zamfara state chapter of the APC numbering over 3343, petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over sharp practices of by governor.
The petition which was copied to all security agencies and the National Chairman of APC alleged that “The state governor had connived with the Congress Committee chairman, Ambassador Dauda Danladi to deny them of nomination forms after they have made payments for the forms.”
It further noted that they made spirited efforts to get the forms having tendered receipts of payment, but were told through their representatives by the Committee chairman that forms were in short supply.
“We and 3277 others that we represent here are bona fide card carrying and active members of the Zamfara State Chapter of the Party.”
“We evinced an intention to participate in the Party’s Wards Congress election scheduled for 5th May, 2018 and, following Party directives/guidelines, applied for the Party’s nomination forms by making payment into designated bank accounts of the Party.”
“Copies of bank deposit tellers evidencing the payments made by us are hereby attached/marked as ANNEXURE CONGRESS A1 – A3342.”
“The Wards and Local Government Congress Committee charged with responsibility for the conduct of Wards and Local Government Congress elections for Zamfara State chaired by one Ambassador Dauda Danladi arrived Gusau, Zamfara State effectively about 11.00pm on Friday 4, May 2018, less than 12 hours to the said congress elections scheduled to hold at 10.00am of Saturday 5th, May 2018.”
“Regrettably, the Committee failed, refused or neglected to issue out the forms to us because, according to the its Chairman, all the forms issued to the Committee by the National Headquarters of the Party for the conduct of the Ward Congress election was just a little over 1000 in number, while a total of 4704 ward offices were up for contest.”
“Our representatives remained with the chairman of the Committee until about 4:00am of Saturday 5th May, trying to prevail upon him to issue nomination forms which our payment automatically entitled us to
Petitioners explained that they were the only valid nominees, saying that those who have been announced as winners were brought in through the back door.
“However, to our greatest surprise, embarrassment and dismay the proposed joint Committee/Stakeholders meeting did not hold.”
“Instead at about the time the elections was scheduled to begin we were informed that a list of 4,704 consensus candidates had been presented to and accepted by the Committee as Ward officers for all the 147 Wards in Zamfara State.”
“Remarkably, no one of the persons listed and announced by the Committee as purportedly elected at the botched congress election of May 5, 2018 indicated interest as candidates seeking election by paying for nomination forms in compliance with the Party guidelines for the said election.”
“Our duty now is to report that the position as reported by both the Ward and Local Government Congress Committee and affirmed/reiterated by His Excellency, Hon. Dr. Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, the Governor of Zamfara State is false.”
“Without fear of contradiction, we state that we were the only valid nominees for the Wards Congress election in Zamfara State being the only persons who indicated interest by paying prescribed fees for the Party’s nomination forms.”
The petitioners appealed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu to disregard the list earlier forwarded to it, adding that they were the appropriate delegates that would participate at the state congress scheduled for 19th May, 2018.
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