joshua
……reacts to viral press conference video, condemns allegations of delegates lists manipulation
…..calls for investigation into the processes to be sure they are void of any manipulation
Barrister Kabiru Usman, an aspirant in the forthcoming Kogi State PDP Governorship primary election has on Friday reacted to a press conference by some members of the PDP in which they called out the party’s national leadership on allegations of trying to manipulate the Kogi State Governorship primary election process to favour a certain aspirant.
“In a press statement, Barrister Kabiru Usman said; “I have just watched a video of a press conference by some members of our great party, the PDP. In the press conference, the people made calls that indeed we hope our party can look into.
“As one of the PDP aspirants in the governorship primary election in our dear Kogi State, I am affected directly by anything that happens regarding the processses leading up to the Kogi State PDP primary election. In fact, it is common logic that every election is as credible as the processes leading up to it. The election day is just the grand finale of the processes leading up to it. So the processes, if they fail the credibility test at any point in time, such is enough to truncate and nullify the election itself as you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand. In fact, in law, it is common knowledge that you can’t build legality on illegality. Manipulation of process is an illegality. We must not be a part of any illegality, not now, not at any future point in time.
“In that press conference, one of the speakers threatened to take the party to court if his grievances regarding the primary election processes are not addressed. On one hand, one will say, what can really be his own interest in the process, that after all, he is not an aspirant but then the mere fact that he is somebody who has stayed loyal to the party through good times and through bad times, gives him the right to protest the process one way and another, and for his protest to be looked into, for possible merits or not. If there be merits in the process, what is needed is immediate commencement of investigation and correction, and if need be, prosecution of anyone found guilty of the manipulation allegations.
“That press conference is an eye-opener to certain things that may be ongoing in the build-up to the primary election and I advise our party leadership to please look into the allegations and ensure the right thing is done.”
“In asking that our party does the right thing which is to allow free and fair processes in every aspect of our primary election process, I do believe that I speak for my fellow aspirants. A free and fair process is the least we expect from our party.
“For the records, I condemn in the strongest possible terms, allegations of the delegates lists being manipulated. To the best of my knowledge as an aspirant, the delegates elections have been concluded and lists have been forwarded from the Local Government level to our party’s national secretariat. Any other set of lists aside from the ones duly signed by all the various Local Government authorities and security agents that witnessed the primary elections as conducted across wards across the 21 Local Government Areas of the State stand condemned and shall be resisted, as every aspirant has equal stake in the election and a free and fair process, not manipulation at any level, is the least we expect of our party in every step of the way,” Barrister Kabiru Usman further said.
