Governor Muhammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State was not present during the signing of peace accord for gubernatorial candidates in the forthcoming 2019 general elections. The peace accord signing, which was organised by the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier invited all political parties’ governorship contestants.The governor, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) and Alhaji Bashir Adamu ( Jumbo) of the Social Democratic Party ( PDP), PDM were absent at the ceremony.
The INEC rector, Dr. Mahmoud Isa, advised all political party contestants to regard one another as brothers and shun all forms of political vices capable of causing unwarranted trouble among the people.The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) governorship candidate, Mallam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, who signed the accord for his party declared to conduct himself, his party supporters and leaders to a peaceful conduct of the forth coming polls.However, the representative of the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Umar Namadi, who stepped forward to sign on behalf of the APC governor and other representatives of the party candidates was rejected by INEC.
It will be recalled that last year the Special Assistant on Inter-governmental Affairs to Governor Mohammad Badaru of Jigawa State has resigned his appointment and quit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).Musdapher Kaloma had contested in the APC primary for the House of Representatives but lost.Announcing his resignation and defection to journalists on Thursday, he accused Governor Badaru of imposing candidates on the party.Mr Kaloma said there was no ideological difference between the ruling party and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as both lack internal democracy.
“I registered with the SDP with the hope that things will get better and the voices of the people will be heard, attended to and supersede personal interest,” he said.He alleged that most of the candidates who emerged from the APC primaries were selected based on favouritism rather than on merit.Mr Kaloma, a lawyer, also said young people were underrepresented despite their active participation in the process.He pointed out that only Gudaji Kazaure, the member representing Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa and Yankwashi federal constituency, falls within the youth bracket in the state’s politics.
“It’s unfortunate that APC leaders in Jigawa see political representation as an opportunity for someone to acquire wealth, not a responsibility to serve; as a result of which Jigawa is poorly represented at the National Assembly.I have an ambition of becoming a lawmaker because of a growing outcry over poor representation that my constituents are facing. Unfortunately, I was frustrated out with flimsy excuses of being from a particular geographical location, which is against the party’s constitution,” Mr Kaloma said.He said he met the governor one on one and even sent him an email on the grey areas that need corrections. “But there was no feedback, rather he sent some people to tell me that the person I am challenging is loyal to the governor and by age is above the governor. For those reasons, he was imposed on his constituents.
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