Jigawa ADC expels guber candidate, roots for PDP

• It’s baseless, says Gumel
• NNPP accuses PDP of plot to scuttle Saturday’s election in Taraba
• Don’t vote Sani, he represents disunity, resentment, don urges Kaduna people

Internal crisis has rocked the leadership of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Jigawa State ahead of Saturday’s elections, resulting in suspension, counter-suspension and expulsion of key officials of the party, including the party’s governorship candidate, Muhammad Sani Gumel, over allegations of anti-party activities.

The crisis is caused by alleged factional endorsements of two major political parties in the state.

The development came barely less than 48-hours to the governorship and state Assembly polls, with each faction accusing the other of anti-party activities and sabotage.

The party has equally expelled its governorship candidate, Sani Gumel, for alleged anti party activities and sabotage.

Kabiru Hussaini, who described himself as the acting state chairman at a press briefing, in Dutse, explained that Gumel was expelled because of anti-party activities, including unilateral endorsement of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Umar Namadi, which, he said, amounted to selling the party to APC.

Hussaini, therefore, urged party members to support the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, in Saturday’s election.

In another development, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State of plotting to use fake soldiers and policemen to disrupt the governorship and state Assembly elections on Saturday.

The Guardian gathered that the allegation is coming barely two days after APC raised the alarm of alleged plan by PDP to connive with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to scuttle the exercise in the state.

In a reaction, the Taraba PDP Spokesman, Andeta’rang Irammae, urged the opposition parties to desist from cheap blackmail, stating: “PDP has never been associated with rigging elections and will never indulge in such act.”

Irammae stressed that the party is not planning to rig. He urged media practitioners to sensitise the public on the need to “avoid anything that will truncate this democracy.”

Also, a don and Professor of Political Science at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Prof. Yaki Katuka, has warned the people of Kaduna State against voting for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uba Sani, in Saturday’s governorship elections, saying he represents the voices of disunity and resentment in the state.

The call by the don came on the heels of a vote of no confidence passed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, by the National Youth Alliance (NYA) on the recent presidential elections.