About nine governorship candidates in Kaduna State have endorsed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Isa Ashiru, as the consensus candidate ahead of Saturday’s March 11 governorship election in the state.
Under the platform of the ‘Kaduna State Rescue and Rebuild Gubernatorial candidates Forum,’ they said the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress was a mere ploy to divide the state along religious lines.
They thereby urged the people of the state to stay away from the All Progressives Congress who had over the past eight years inflicted hardship on them, come out en-masse and cast their votes for the PDP candidate during the Saturday election.
According to Punch, the nine parties comprise the Young Progressives Party, AA, APM, APP, APGA, and NRM as well as the leadership of the Accord Party, ADP and ZLP.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Monday, the Chairman of the Forum, who’s also the Governorship candidate of the YPP, Ambassador Sani Yaya, said they decided to endorse the PDP candidate because he remains the best man for the job.
Yaya noted that, unlike the APC that were out to manipulate the people through the Muslim-Muslim ticket, the PDP candidate was out to unite a “fractured” state.
He said,
“Today, we wish to announce our support and loyalty to Rt. Hon.Isah Muhammad Ashiru Kudan, the Gubernatorial candidate of the PDP.
“We took this decision after extensive consultation with our party members as well as the good people of Kaduna State.
“This decision is borne out of our genuine desire to have one and indivisible state irrespective of tribal or religious differences, and we are confident that Isah Ashiru Kudan is the only candidate that will unify the state.
“This can be seen from the manner of his campaign which is aimed at building Kaduna State, and as well from the selection of his running mate which has given fair representation to both Christians and Muslims who are the two major stakeholders in the state.
“Some desperate politicians have turned the political space into a hub of religious sentiments but Isah Ashiru chose to stand on issue-based campaigns only.
“I want to use this opportunity to remind the good people of Kaduna State of the hardship and pain inflicted on them by this APC administration, from an unjustified high rate of taxes to authoritarian leadership and the ego. From the increase of school fees to tertiary institutions to the unlawful disengagement of teachers, local government staff and the removal of traditional rulers.
“It is on this ground that we call on our people to stay away from the APC candidate who is only a puppet to his paymaster who will continue with their anti-masses policy in the state.
“On this note, myself, Ambassador Sani Yaya, the gubernatorial candidate of the Young Progressives Party and candidates of AA, APM, APP, APGA, NRM as well as the leadership of the Accord Party, ADP and ZLP, have February 6, 2023, wish to endorse His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Isah Ashiru Kudan (Sarkin Bai Zazzau and His Excellency, Dr John Ayuba as our consensus candidates.
“Therefore, we urge the good people of Kaduna State to come out en-masse on March 11, 2023, to vote for Ashiru/Ayuba for a better Kaduna State.”