With six days to the 9 March governorship election in Kaduna, a major defection of members has hit the opposition People’s Democratic Party.
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.
He wrote: “Since the party’s primaries held last year, characterized by manipulations, impunity, lack of internal democracy and intimidations 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.
”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 also listed Kabiru Ballah, former State Secretary, PDP, Sani Shahada, former Member, KSHA, Nasiru Aliyu Damau, former Council Chairman of Kubau LGA and Commissioner of LGA, Aliyu Saleh Ramin Kura, former Council Chairman of Lere LGA, Magaji Sadiq Hunkuyi, former Council Chairman of Kudan LGA , among those who have joined the defection train.
Others are Ashiru K. Bomo, former State Chairman of AD and State Officer PDP, Sani Rabiu Bako, former House of Representative aspirants, Joe Machu, and Alhaji Adamu Kagarko, former Permanent Secretary, KDSG, Abdulaziz Makama, former Council Chairman, Kagarko LGA, Bala Ahmed, former Deputy Chairman, Kagarko LGA, Umar Farouq Kafanchan, former SSA, Political and Chieftaincy, Barnabas Samuel, former SA, Community Mobilization, Shehu Tafarki, former Party Chairman, Kagarko LGA, Rufai Mustapha Ango (Maradona).
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.