APC candidates in Kaduna council poll protest against imposition

Candidates for councillorship positions in Kaduna State yesterday protested against imposition by government officials.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) members acted under the auspices of Congress of Councillorship Aspirants in Kaduna North Local Government.

According to the Chairman of the forum, Aminu Adam, the top government officials were unduly meddling in the contest, scheduled for May 12, 2018.

They lamented that the action was contrary to the pledge by Governor Nasir El-Rufai not to intrude in the process.

The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, urged the governor to act in the interest of justice and fairness.

In a statement, the aspirants said:
“The Kaduna State chapter of the APC had scheduled primaries into councillorship positions to hold simultaneously in all the wards of the state on Thursday March 29, 2018.

“This was followed by a solemn pledge by the state government to ensure a level playing ground for free, fair and credible conduct of the scheduled primaries.”

The statement added that on the strength of government’s pledge of neutrality, “aspirants duly presented themselves for the contest which was generally expected to be devoid of undue interference, especially from government representatives.”

They urged the state government not to conduct election in nine of the 12 wards that make up Kaduna North, where the interference was more widespread.

Adam disclosed that they had petitioned the governor, security agencies and the APC’s committee on local government primaries in the state on the issue.

He explained that the irregularities that marred the primaries included the non-availability of voting materials as ballot boxes, and comprehensive voters’ register.

Meanwhile, the acting State secretary of the APC, Yahaya Baba Pate, in his reaction, said, the primaries were conducted free and fairly in all of the 23 local government areas of the state.

But the candidates warned that: “Unless the matter is judiciously handled, the APC stands the risk of suffering electoral losses in the state.

“This is in view of the growing public discontent with the deliberate disruption of the polls in the affected wards.”