Niger PDP Postpones Governorship Primary over Protests by Aspirants
Laleye Dipo in Minna
The governorship primary election of the main opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State has been postponed over protests by some of the aspirants.
The exercise has now been fixed for Thursday.
THISDAY reporter at the state headquarters of the party in Minna reported that the postponement was after all delegates from the 25 local government areas had assembled and commenced accreditation before some aspirants raised observation on means of identification.
As a result four aspirants, namely Mr. Sani Idris Kutigi, Mr. Sidi Abdul, former Minister of Sports, Mr. Abdulrahman Gimba and Mr. Abubakar Isah Jankara had threatened to stage a walk out if their demand of ensuring proper identification of all the proposed 800 delegates was not carried out.
The aspirants later held an emergency meeting in one of the offices in the secretariat after which they approached the Chairman of the State Electoral Panel and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, on their decision to pull out of the contest.
Kutigi, who later spoke on behalf of other aggrieved aspirants, said the exercise could only go ahead if each of the delegates could properly identify themselves with any of the following means of identifications: national drivers’ licence, national identity card or international passports.
Niger PDP Postpones Governorship Primary over Protests by Aspirants
Laleye Dipo in Minna
The governorship primary election of the main opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State has been postponed over protests by some of the aspirants.
The exercise has now been fixed for Thursday.
THISDAY reporter at the state headquarters of the party in Minna reported that the postponement was after all delegates from the 25 local government areas had assembled and commenced accreditation before some aspirants raised observation on means of identification.
As a result four aspirants, namely Mr. Sani Idris Kutigi, Mr. Sidi Abdul, former Minister of Sports, Mr. Abdulrahman Gimba and Mr. Abubakar Isah Jankara had threatened to stage a walk out if their demand of ensuring proper identification of all the proposed 800 delegates was not carried out.
The aspirants later held an emergency meeting in one of the offices in the secretariat after which they approached the Chairman of the State Electoral Panel and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, on their decision to pull out of the contest.
Kutigi, who later spoke on behalf of other aggrieved aspirants, said the exercise could only go ahead if each of the delegates could properly identify themselves with any of the following means of identifications: national drivers’ licence, national identity card or international passports.
