Anthony Iwuoma
The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has declared that it was not taking part in the oncoming local government election.
The chairman of the party, Shehu Sagagi, who belongs to the Kwankwasiyya faction, on Wednesday told newsmen in Kano that the party had sued the Kano State I dependent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, for acting in contempt of court order.
“The chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission is either ignorant of the extant laws or he is just behaving like a politician.
“The faction claiming that they will participate in the coming local government elections earlier took the party to court in Kano. On their request again, they transferred the case to Abuja before a vacation judge, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo of the Federal High Court and he gave his ruling non the 2nd of October 2020.
“That the National Executive Committee has the power to appoint, and whoever has the power to appoint has the power to reappoint and, therefore, dismissed their request. Which means the law recognises only the leadership of the then caretaker committee under Hon. Danladi Muhammad.
“Put that aside, even if they disagree with that, everyone is aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission has the supervisory power over all the political parties in Nigeria. If the chairman of KANSIEC has any doubt, let him write a letter to the INEC to seek clarification. But they are not after that. They are trying muscle us and we are not cowards.”
The chairman declared that their faction is ready to go to Supreme Court if necessary.
“We call on the judiciary to save this situation. We have presently filed a case of contempt against the person that is parading himself as chairman, and also the chairman of KANSIEC.
“We have also filed before the court whether KANSIEC has the right to accept a candidate other than the one from the legally recognized executive of the party. This is what we want the court to determine” he stated.
