It is now evident that the Kaduna State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is out for blood. A metaphorical kind of blood which if not tackled quickly may become physical. In my entire years as a politician and an avid observer of politics, not only in Nigeria but the world over, I have never witnessed a situation where a political party sabotages itself by itself!
The PDP held a primary election for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District on 23rd May last year. Of the six aspirants that took part in the process, Alhaji Lawal Adamu Usman, popularly known as Mr. La, won the process with a resounding victory. A paid hand was used to demonstrate the process as not having been done right. A claim which was refuted by video evidence and witnesses from the security, INEC officials, aspirants’ agents and general public present. In the presence of all these witnesses, this individual made a fuss about the exercise. He seemed to be out not only for the metaphorical blood, but perhaps the physical as well.
The victory of Mr. La was challenged in court by the second runner up. A crooked court case ensued which was adjourned five times until November 2, last year. The judge of the Federal High Court, Division 1, Kaduna ruled against the victory of Mr. La. The verdict was appealed while the joker was drunk in his euphoria of the influence of those who backed him from the two major political parties in the state. He basked in his short-lived court given mandate after a sham rerun was staged in which none of the five other aspirants participated. Badarawa enjoyed a short lived victory until 19th December 2022 when the Court of Appeal set the ruling of the lower court aside as it clearly cited the lack of jurisdiction and the clear evidence of absolute inconsistency with electoral processes, the rule of law as enumerated in the Electoral Act and the PDP Guidelines.
The victory of Mr. La at the Court of Appeal was a rude shock even though the so-called influential shot-callers in Kaduna knew that Mr. La was about to retake his mandate. Senator Ahmad Makarfi, the former governor of Kaduna State and the biggest saboteur of the PDP in Kaduna State called a meeting where he informed his minions, out of fear that he would be put to shame by the actions of the Appeal Court, that “the Appeal Court will hand down the mandate back to its proper winner, Mr. La, on Monday (signaling the 19th of December 2022). And so it happened. Now to the joke of all time, the PDP Kaduna Chapter itself took Mr. La to court! It is as clear as a case of an individual tearing his clothes and ripping himself with a sharp object. Evidently, the stakeholders of PDP in Kaduna wish to see the victory of the APC from top to bottom in the state especially now that governor Wike has come out to say that he is willing to support Tinubu. If we remember, Senator Makarfi did not support Atiku during the National Convention of the PDP.
If you put all the pieces together, you will understand clearly that Senator Makarfi, is behind this shameful act and the people must rise up in order to shock those who think they are out for blood.
Musa Ruga, Kajuru, Kaduna State
