PDP Chairman Hits Back at el-Rufai for Cursing Kaduna Senators 

By John Shiklam in Kaduna

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Mr. Hassan Hyat, has hit back at Governor Nasir el-Rufai for cursing the three senators from the state.

Addressing thousands of party supporters at a reception for the All Progressives Congress (APC) defectors in Zonkwa, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Monday, Hyat said anybody who cursed the senators will himself incur a curse.

El-Rufai, had last Friday at the flagging off of campaigns for council polls in the state, cursed the senators for rejecting the $350 million World Bank loan approved for the state, describing them as the enemies of the masses.

He also asked the people to shave their heads and beard whenever they come to Kaduna.

Senators Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna North) and Danjuma Laah (PDP, Southern Kaduna) had rejected the loan on the grounds that Kaduna is the second most indebted state in the country.

In an apparent response to el-Rufai’s utterances, Hyat maintained that the people were proud of the three senators for stopping the loan.

Hyat, who spoke in Hausa language said: “We don’t insult people because we have respect for the Government House, but I want to tell you that we are proud of our three senators in the National Assembly who stopped  plans to shortchange the people.

“May God bless them. Anybody who cursed them, may the curse return to the person – Holy Ghost power, Holy Ghost power, Holy Ghost power.

“Senator Laah is from Southern Kaduna, we know his origin, we respect him and we are happy with him. Anybody who is not happy with you, should be patient because that is the will of God.”

He said the APC administration has failed woefully and asked Nigerians to vote the PDP in 2019 to kicked out hunger and poverty, which he alleged, are caused by the ruling APC.

“In this state, the PDP will not only chase out hunger, we will chase out insecurity.

“Yesterday (on Saturday) in Birnin Gwari our people were killed. Every week, our people are being killed and the government keeps on promising to ensure security, which type of security?

“We will not curse them, but we pray to God,” he said.

He urged the people to get their permanent voters card (PVC) ready and participate in the local government election in the state scheduled for Saturday.

“Protect your votes, nobody can manipulate your votes. If we vote our choice, nobody can change it. If any unelected person is sworn in Kaduna, we will swear in the person we elected,” Hyat said.

Also speaking, former National Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, called on the defectors to join hands in ensuring that the PDP returns to power in 2019.

In his remarks, the National Secretary of the party, Senator Umar Ibrahim Tsauri, said the PDP was already on its way to power as a result of the dismal performance of the APC in the past three years.

Among the 4,556 APC defectors and returnees was a member of the House of Representatives, Jagaba Adams Jagaba, representing Kagarko/Kachia Federal Constituency.

Speaking on behalf of other defectors, Jagaba, who is a returnee to the PDP, said: “We now know the differences between APC and PDP.

“After being in the APC, I discovered that the PDP is the only party that loves Nigeria. PDP is the party that cut across all religious, ethnic and regional biases.

“In 2015, Buhari didn’t win election because he was popular, God allowed him to win so that we can learn a lesson. Now we have learned our lessons.”