Kaduna APC governorship hopeful ‘petitions’ INEC over status of ward congresses

The campaign group of Sani Sha’aban, a Kaduna governorship hopeful on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says a petition has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the status of ward congresses in the state.

In a statement issued on Monday by Joshua Ephraim, director-general of the Sani Sha’aban campaign organisation, the group alleged that no congresses were held in the state.

On Saturday, an appeal committee for the ad hoc delegates congresses of the APC in Kaduna, at a media briefing, upheld the ward congresses conducted in the state last week.

Tinuke Ogunrinde, chairperson of the five-member committee, also said the exercise was hitchfree and no appeal was received “before, during, and after the special congress”.

But the Sha’aban campaign group said it tried to submit a petition but the appeal committee didn’t accept it.

“We categorically state that there was no delegates’ election in Kaduna State APC. This, to us, is a travesty of justice and fair-play. The whole world should know this,” the statement reads.

“We urge the national headquarters of the APC to take note and to take corrective actions in the interest of justice, as we are in a democracy and not a dictatorship.

“We have seen only yesterday (Sunday) that the PDP mobilised security agencies and had conducted its primaries all over the state with its national officers going round the state supervising the election.

“Even in the no-go areas of the state like Birnin-Gwari, Chikun, Giwa and some parts of Southern Kaduna, the PDP conducted their primaries.

“It is, therefore, not as a result of insecurity but lack of confidence by some aspirants who are scared of the popularity of Sani Sha’aban.”