Bafarawa will not hijack PDP structure - Chieftain
A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Gusau, yesterday, ruled out the possibility of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa hijacking the party’s structures in the state.
He said Bafarawa and his supporters would not seek for any elective positions because they have not met the constitutional provision that said that only members of not less than 20 months in the party could vie for elective positions within the party.
Gusau said most members of his caucus lacked the basic secondary school education which needed to contest for offices in PDP.
Speaking to newsmen in Sokoto, Gusau, who belonged to the erstwhile “old PDP group”, said the former governor’s joining the PDP was a blessing in disguise.
He said: “His coming into the party with his followers makes PDP stronger and we envisaged as it was shown to the whole country, PDP is in existence in Sokoto State. In fact, Governor Wamakko knows he doesn’t have people, but one thing again his coming into the party brought some common problems.”
Gusau said if the PDP failed to follow constitutional provision in electing its leaders from the wards to the state, then, it would have the same problem faced by the APC.
He added: “The constitution of the party is very clear. Nobody can enter into election if he is just coming into the party. He must serve for one year, eight months before he can be elected into the political office.”
Gusau, who was the running mate of the defunct CPC’s governorship candidate in 2012, also ruled out granting the former governor and his followers waiver, saying no elected executive in the state could discuss and give them waiver.
He also chided Governor Wamakko over his attempts to woo foreign investors into the state, saying the governor has not done anything to make the economy of the state attractive.
Reacting on behalf of APC and the Sokoto State Government, APC’s chairman in Sokoto North local government, Alhaji Muhammadu Dangwaggo, described Gusau’s allegations as false.