A serving Federal lawmaker from Katsina State representing Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Mohammed Kurfi Danlami has petitioned Chairman of the party’s Appeals Committee at the national secretariat, Abuja over alleged manipulation of primary election conducted in the state Friday, October 5, 2018.
Kurfi who is seeking reelection to the parliament described the process as a ”kangaroo election” which according to him was conducted by unknown persons with the intent to deliberately truncate the continuous progress and success of the party both at the state and Federal level.
The dissatisfied lawmaker who is the deputy Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources Downstream is urgently seeking redress from APC such that a loyal party member like him would not be edged out through undemocratic means against the wishes of his teaming supporters.
In his petition which was also made available to the media, the Katsina born lawmaker said,
”Those who conducted the elections are not our Party Officials. I am not even sure if they are members of our great party. There was no Party representative(s) from the National Headquarters of our great Party. There was no representative from the Katsina State Headquarters of our great Party, the APC. There was no known Party Official from anywhere.
The purported Primary Election for the Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency was not conducted at the approved venue which is the Stadium but, instead, it was conducted at the Dutsinma Local Government Secretariat where many people were not allowed to enter. Election Observers were not allowed into the arena to witness and observe the electoral processes. ” He said
Kurfi also decried the process which was bereft of transparency, pointing out that even journalists were barred from exercising their legitimate assignments on the said day.
”The Media was also locked out to ensure that no one could record or report on their unlawful activities.My supporters were not allowed into the arena. Only my Agent, one of my brothers and myself were allowed to enter the arena, Meanwhile, my opponent had over 60 non-voting supporters inside the arena. When I noticed the atrocities being perpetuated, I raised alarm but no one listened. I walked out in protest.”
He continued, ”My Agent did not sign anything . He tried to make observations but he was not allowed to do so. He also left in protest, long before the manipulated election was concluded. My supporters were ready for the election fixed for Thursday, 4th October, 2018 but the election was not conducted until 9pm on Friday, 5th October, 2018 most Party loyalists had lost hope and gone away.
Going by our Party Guidelines, Appointed Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen, not being elected, are not eligible to vote in the Party Primaries for House of Representatives but they voted in the election. Appointees of the Caretaker Committee Chairmen also voted at the election. These included Special Assistants to the Caretaker Committee Chairmen.”
The parliamentarian equally alleged in his petition that a certain State commissioner was involved in the electoral malpractice; ”The State Commissioner for Finance also voted in the election. He was visibly in charge of the manipulations. Even though I tried to raise a complain, no one listened. My supporters were compelled to vote against me, under threat to their lives and the lives of members of their families.”
The petitioner however in his prayer repudiated the act of bringing a green-horn politician who only joined APC four months ago and was now forced on party faithful despite his rejection by the majority which may dangerously reduce the chances of APC from winning in the 2019 general polls.
”In the light of the foregoing, my prayer to the National Chairman is to urgently intervene and ensure that the right thing is done. For our Party to win the 2019 General Election in Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency, the Party must present the people’s choice. The people of Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency are lamenting on the imposition of an unpopular candidate who just joined the APC four (4) months ago.If this injustice is not addressed, we risk losing the General Election to other contending Political Parties.” he stated
