2015: Southern Kaduna Elders Present Consensus Candidate Against Yero

Channels Tv

Elders and stakeholders of Southern Kaduna zone of Kaduna state have agreed on a former Senator, Zego Aziz as a consensus candidate to challenge Governor Muktar Yero in the December 8 primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of elections in February 2015.

The stakeholders which included officials of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, the Gurara Forum, Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Council, Northern Christian Elders Forum, Southern Kaduna Indigenes Progressive Forum and Southern Kaduna Peace Initiatives, made the declaration at the end of their meeting in Kafanchan on Friday.

The Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan diocese, Joseph Bagobiri who read their resolution after the meeting, said the former Senator was chosen after due consultations with relevant stakeholders.

He called on all indigenes of the state to reflect on their choice and also called on all delegates to the forthcoming PDP primary to take this into account while casting their votes.

The endorsement according to him, will brighten the chances of the zone to produce the next governor of the state and also reduce bickering among the four aspirants from the area.

Four PDP governorship aspirants from the zone including the former Aviation Minister, Hassan-Hyat, a former commissioner in the state, Jimmy Dung and a retired Air Force Officer, Air Commordore John Ajei had been screened for the position.

After the assessment of the aspirants, the stakeholders passed their resolution with some of the aspirants including the anointed candidate approving it, noting that it was a welcome development as far as it was for the best interest of the zone.

In reaction, some PDP chieftains from Southern Kaduna told Channels Television that the elders and stakeholders were not members of the party, and therefore cannot dictate who becomes the governorship candidate of the party.

According to them, the endorsement of Senator Aziz by the elders and other stakeholders from southern Kaduna as their consensus candidate cannot hold any water since they are neither PDP members or delegates to the primary.

Beyond the endorsement, followers of political activities in Kaduna state are watching to see how this endorsement by this group of southern Kaduna stakeholders will result to their anointed candidate securing the PDP ticket. It is left now to see if the delegates will either vote along political or ethnic lines.