Elders of the Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on the party’s national leadership to jettison alleged plot to manipulate original delegates’ list from 21 local government areas.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Alhaji Ibrahim Dansofo, the group said,
“There is ongoing plot to impose Senator Dino Melaye, a spokesperson to Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council on the state.”
The development, according to the group, is to “deprive other nine aspirants the opportunity for fair primary election.”
“The authentic list of delegates is being altered to allow Senator Dino Melaye to have his way,” the group alleged.
The group also threatened to leave the party massively and empty the party as a payback for what it describes as “betrayal”.
The group, however, asked Atiku to allow the authentic delegates list from the state to stand.
The screening committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cleared Dr Reuben Atabo (SAN) and nine others as aspirants for its ticket in the forthcoming Kogi State governorship contest.
Others include Sen. Dino Melaye, Musa Wada, Sen. Atai Aidoko Ali, Mohammed Kabiru Usman, Abayomi Awoniyi, Bolufemi Olarotimi, Abdullahi Haruna (SAN), Gideon Ojata and Idoko Kingsley Ilonah.
But Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed speculations that he had a preferred candidate to fly the PDP flag in the governorship election.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, in Abuja yesterday, Atiku distanced himself from what he described as a fabrication linking him to the democratic process in Kogi State.
The statement reads,
“We wish to state categorically that such media reports are false and gross fabrication.
“Atiku is a consummate democrat and the hallmark of his political struggles has been for the enablement of internal democracy in party politics.
“It is therefore absurd to suggest that Atiku has a preferred candidate in the primary election to produce the governorship candidate of the PDP in the Kogi State election – or in any primary election, for that matter.
“For the avoidance of any doubts, Atiku Abubakar has no anointed candidate in the Kogi State primary election.
“He believes that the decision to elect the flag bearer of the PDP in the coming election in the Confluence State is the responsibility of electors in that primary election.”
“He therefore urges anyone amongst the candidates to desist from peddling influence with his name and, indeed, calls on the media not to lay prostrate to any blackmail against him.
“Atiku believes that all the aspirants in the election are up to the task of flying the flag of our great party, the PDP and the electors should be given the unfettered rights to perform their constituted duty of electing the best person for the PDP.”
