PDP group urges its leadership, INEC to restore Tatabe as Borno Central senatorial candidate

AHMED MARI, Maiduguri

 

The crisis rocking  the Borno state chapter of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is far from over,   as PDP solidarity group for Jibrin Tatabe, urged the national body of the party and  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to re-enlist the name of Jibrin Tatabe as Borno central senatorial candidate for the 2023 general election.

 

It also called on the party  supporters to remain calm as the senatorial candidate has instituted a legal action on the issue and by the grace of God they will reclaim their mandate.

 

The spokesman of the group, Alhaji Asheik Umar who made the call at a press briefing which held at Qatara Hall, Maiduguri on Sunday said “It is on record that our constituency’s delegates unanimously elected Hon Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe in the senatorial primary election which was conducted in Maiduguri in May this year but unfortunately his name was replaced in the recent list released by INEC by Hon. Mohammed Kumalia who is not a member of the party”

 

It would be recalled that Hon. Kumalia was recently suspended by the ruling APC in the state due to anti party activities .

 

But the  group while urging their supporters to remain calm said “we call on our teeming supporters to remain calm, develop thick skin and disregard whatever comment the enemies of progress may say on Hon Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe, continue your

mobilization for the party and campaign for Hon Tatabe while we await justice on the issue, don’t relent in our quest towards achieving our goal of winning

decision of the court and the election come 2023 please.

 

“Although we understand that Hon. Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe has already gone to court to reclaim his mandate, it is worthy to note that the people of Borno Central Senatorial district and the State are watching the event with keen interest as it is unfolding but we as a party needs to be very careful because it may likely affect the integrity of the party negatively and eventually lose the support base and sympathy of the teeming populace”, the spokesman said.

 

The group said “we wish to register our displeasure and disdain on the manipulation of the will of the people by the national leadership of the party. It is on record that our constituency’s delegates unanimously elected Hon Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe in the senatorial primary election conducted in Maiduguri. Hon Tatabe upon his success was issued with certificate of return by the national leadership of the party..”

 

Alhaji Umar pointed out that Hon Tatabe has not withdrawn his nomination as a candidate and has never contemplated doing so and has not written any letter of withdrawal and gave anybody, stressing that many efforts were made by the so called Abuja based party leaders but Hon Tatabe was repugnant.

 

“It is sad and disheartening that the lacuna been perpetrated by other political parties is equally manifesting in our party.. Before the release of the INEC’s list of nominated candidates we heard that the national leadership of the party in connivance  with some Abuja based party leaders whom are contributing nothing towards the development of the party in the state had clandestinely substituted Hon Tatabe with Mohammed Umara Kumalia and thus changed the will of the people.”, Umar stressed.

 

He further said “to our dismay we saw on the INEC’s list of nominated candidates the name of one Mohammed Umara Kumalia who did not contest the party’s primary. We are not legal practitioners but the Electoral Act 2021 as amended explicitly stated that a substituting candidate must be nominated through a valid primary election monitored by INEC. It is on record that there was no primary election conducted in Maiduguri in respect of the substitution of Mohammed Umara Kumalia in our constituency. The only senatorial primary election conducted in Maiduguri was the one between Hon Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe and llon Bukar Kachalla where Hon Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe was returned elected.”

 

The group therefore said “it is  imperative for the party leadership and the entire world to know that it is still on minds that  previous candidates are merchants and hell bent to bring  the party down. Most of these candidates backed by the so called Abuja politicians most were viewed by virtually every party member as well as the people of the state as APC stooges working for the  government in the state.”

 

They said  Hon Tatabe who they  knew his antecedents cannot be bought over by anybody hence his nomination as a candidate by the delegates, adding that it was as a result of his antecedent and honesty that the  delegates jettisoned Alhaji Bukar Kachalla a former speaker of the House of Assembly and experienced parliamentarian and voted Tatabe  who is not a sell out and will never be one.

 

He urged all PDP supporters in the state to disregard the rumours going around that Hon Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe has withdrew from the race, describing it  as  mischievous and fabricated lies by the enemies within and outside the party.

 

He said  the people of Borno Central Senatorial district are solidly behind PDP, as  more people are trooping into the party on daily basis and are eager to Get Out and Vote (GOTV) initiative introduced by Hon Jibrin Tatabe and his team.

 

The group therefore urged the State Party leadership not create a bad impression about themselves, as the statement made on behalf of the Borno party leadership was viewed by most of the members as complicit and  called on the party leadership to note that it is  a democracy not dictatorship.

 

 

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