Despite Being in Captivity, NEF Convener’s Son Wins PDP Reps Ticket

By John Shiklam

Despite being in captivity, Sadiq Abdullahi, son of Convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Pary (PDP) primary election for Sabon Gari (Zaria) Federal constituency, Kaduna state.
Sadiq, who was among those abducted in the March 28 attack on the Abuja -Kaduna passenger train  is still in captivity contrary to recent reports that he was released by the terrorists.
His father confirmed in a telephone chat with THISDAY on Monday that Sadiq won the primary while still in captivity.
It was gathered that Sadiq won the primaries with 28 votes to defeat three other opponents.
Also Yakubu Barade who has been in the House of Representatives since 2003 secured the ticket for the for Chikun/ Kajuru federal constituency for the sixth term.
Barde got 45 votes from 65 delegates to defeat two other contestants.
Also in the Kaura federal constituency, the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Gideon Gwani secured the ticket for a fifth term in Kaura Federal Constituency.
Gwani was said to have scored 18 votes to defeat his close opponent, a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. John Kish, who was said to have scored seven votes.
Kish has however protested against the outcome of the election, alleging that delegates were intimidated by the Zonal Chairman of the PDP in Kaduna south senatorial zone.
Reacting to the outcome of the election in a telephone interview with THISDAY on Monday, Kish said he had already submitted a petition to the election appeal committee.
He said, “Given my usual sense of sportsmanship, I would ordinarily accept the results and I have indeed done so previously.
“However, given the crass banality, unprecedented intimation of the delegates, physical threats, forceful coercion in the 48 hours preceding the primaries by officers of the party who sequestered the delegates at the residence of the Zonal Chairman, a known lackey of the incumbent, mounting pressure on them to vote in a particular way and moving the primaries venue from the constituency headquarters Kaura to the doorsteps of the incumbent in Fada, Kagoro, I cannot accept the results declared as the free will of the delegates or of the people of Kaura”.
It was “naira rain” for delegates as some aspirants were said to have paid between N300,000 to N450, 000 to each delegates to secure their votes.
The small number of the delegates was said to have made it easy for those with money to buy votes, although some of those who were said to have paid higher amount lost out.