March 9: Kaduna PDP in disarray

As the March 9 governorship election draws near, a major defection of PDP members is thinning down the flank of opposition in Kaduna.

Mohammed Sani Sidi, one of the prominent governorship aspirants of the PDP said he and his political associates and many other chieftains of the party across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State have resigned their membership of the party.

However, they did not indicate the party they are joining.

The mass defection from the PDP was revealed by Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, a close associate of Sani Sidi.

Sidi conveyed his resignation in a letter sent to the Chairman of Unguwan Sarki Ward, Kaduna North local government Area.

”Since the party’s primaries held last year, characterized by manipulations, impunity, lack of internal democracy and intimidation of party delegates, the party’s leadership at the state or the candidate has failed to genuinely engage all aspirants towards consultation and genuine reconciliation, an important task that would have helped the party forge ahead,” he wrote.

”Even more worrisome is the mutual mistrust that exists between the party leadership, the gubernatorial candidate and some of its members and above all the failure to showcase any meaningful blueprint and capacity on how to govern the state when voted into power, ” said Sidi.

“It is based on these reasons and after due consultation with my political associates across the 23 local government areas, l decided to resign my membership of the party henceforth. And l thank you most sincerely for your support while in the party”.

Sani Sidi submitted alongside the letter, his membership card of the party to the ward leadership of the PDP.

According to Maiyaki, other prominent politicians and the associates of Sani Sidi from across the state who have resigned their membership of the party include Peter Adada, former Deputy Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rabiu Bako, former Council Chairman of Kaduna LGA and Commissioner of Information.

Maiyaki said over 30,000 members of the Sani Sidi Campaign Steering Committee and some executive members of the party at the Local Government and Ward levels have begun the process of resigning their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party.