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By Chuks Okocha
Controversy has continued to trail the emergence of Capt. Idris Wada as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship election in Kogi State scheduled for December 3, as party officials have been trading words over his membership of the party.
While the State chairman of the party, Hassan Saalwu, insisted that Wada was a member of the PDP, the former Secretary of the party in Odu Ward 1 in Dekina Local Government Area, where he hails from, has said he was never registered in the party.
Omagada, who was secretary between 2003 and 2008, said in a sworn affidavit that Wada was not a registered member of the Odu Ward 1 chapter of the party.
He deposed in the affidavit made available to newsmen that Wada’s membership card number 7455310 and his signature were forged.
But Salawu insisted: “Captain Idris Ichalla Wada, is a legally registered member of our great party, the PDP and is duly registered at Odu Ward 1 of Dekina local government of Kogi State since 2005.
“Captain Idris Wada was appointed by the PDP as the zonal treasurer, North-central of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Orga-nisation 2011 and did serve in that capacity without any blemish.”
But Omagada in the affidavit before Nasarawa State High Court Registry on September 27 said he never issued a membership card to the PDP governorship candidate.
According to paragraph seven of the affidavit, he said: “I have, however, seen from the register that the original entry on serial No 583 has been altered by the entry of a strange membership card N0 7455310 in the name of one Idris. I Wada which was written in place of an earlier registered name by using correcting fluid to obliterate the former name.”
The former secretary, under whose tenure Wada claimed to have registered, further said in the affidavit that his signature was forged.
Salawu told reporters that it was in appreciation of Wada’s contribution to the success of President Goodluck Jonathan/Sambo ticket in the presidential election, that Wada was short-listed by the PDP among other nominees for appointment by the president.
“It is not within contemplation that PDP will appoint Captain Wada into zonal structure of the Goodluck/Sambo campaign organisation and further recommend him to the president for federal appointment, if he is not a known registered member of our great party.”