By Francis Sardauna
The Katsina State factional group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Agyara group, has accused those it referred to as ‘Abuja-based members’ of the party of hijacking the party’s structures in the state.
A member of the group and chieftain of PDP, Sani Umar Kankia, told journalists in Katsina that two stalwarts of the party who reside in Abuja are spearheading the affairs of the party instead of its leadership in the state.
Kankia, who didn’t mention the names of the Abuja-based members of the party that he accused of hijacking its structures, said they imposed officials of the party during its last ward, local government and state congresses.
According to him, the Agyara group is out to completely change the party’s structures in the state in line with its constitution, guidelines, principles and in conformity with the nation’s Electoral Act.
He said: “The intention of Agyara Group is to change the party leadership completely so that it has to conform with the party guidelines, principles and the Electoral Act in conducting the party Congresses in Katsina State.
“But there are two people that sat down in Abuja and decided who and who should be the party officials and we felt that they cannot just sit down in Abuja and decide for over seven million people in Katsina State.
“So we went to court and we were able to secure two verdicts; one dissolving the state Congresses, the second one dissolving the party officials from local government to state levels in which the party appealed.”
When contacted, the state Chairman of the party, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, said the group is out to blackmail PDP in the state because their membership “is still in question” before the court.
He said: “As far as we know, Katsina PDP leaders are not part of Abuja-based politicians because they participated in everything be it party meetings, wedding ceremonies and condolences.
“We don’t do party activities at Abuja. Everybody knows since I took over in 2015 as Katsina PDP chairman to date, our party activities are based in Katsina unless in an exceptional circumstances.”
