AS the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Gombe state is preparing political grounds in order to remain in power, a major crisis is now at the verge of dividing the party following an alleged alteration of the results of the primary election for the Billiri East State Constituency held recently which has now pitched the Governor, Ibrahim Hassan DanKwambo and the state chairman of the party, Joel Adamu Jagafa against each other.
Checks by our correspondent in Gombe revealed that already there are strong indications that the State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and the State Party Chairman, Joel Adamu Jagafa are at loggerheads over the winner of the primary election, in the person of Honourable Rambi Ibrahim Ayayla, who was adjudged democratically elected as the candidate of the party for the 2019 general elections and had the blessings of the State Governor.
It was however reliably learnt that the State Party chairman, in connivance with the Secretary, Alhaji Buba Shanu and some party other officials are bent on imposing the immediate former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Rabi Daniel as the candidate of the party for the election.
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While addressing a press conference last weekend over what he described as “Traversity of Justice,” Honourable Rambi Ayala who presented his PDP membership card number 8877147 and permanent voters card number A04831922 explained that he was declared the the winner of the primary election held on the 4th October, 2018 at the Billiri Township Stadium in the presence of INEC officials having polled a total of 25 votes out of the 49 accredited votes as witnessed by men of the DSS, Police, Civil Defence as well as pressmen as declared by the electoral officer, Barr J.A Lawal.
He further stated, however, that to his dismay and that of many of his supporters, even after reaffirming his victory, the next day, Friday 5th October 2018 at Custodian Hotel, Gombe after the State Governor had called on the State party chairman not to tamper the result as announced earlier and a press address made by the party officials from Abuja, the State party officials refused to give him form E.C. 4B (iii) from INEC office in Abuja.
In his words, “events came to a climax yesterday (Thursday), when I learnt that my colleagues were filling an INEC nomination form E.C. 4B (iii) brought from Abuja, I enquired who was giving out the forms and they told me it is the State Party Secretary, Alhaji Buba Shanu, I immediately put a call through to him to get my form but to my bewilderment, he told me that an appeal panel has upturned my victory and given it to Rabi Daniel to serve as the flag bearer of the party. I requested to be given a copy of the decision and by who, this was declined.”
While calling on his supporters to remain calm, Hon. Rambi Ayala said that “we are running a democratic government that is predicated on the rule of law not rule of might, we are set to challenge this decision through all lawful means to ensure that justice prevailed.”
However, when our reporter visited the State Party Secretariat over the matter, neither the Chairman nor the Secretary was in their offices while several calls were also made to them but none of the calls pulled through as the phones were switched off.
Also, none of the Governor’s aides was ready to comment on the issue as all of those contacted said that it was a political party’s affairs which will be sorted out politically.
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