I read the write up title; ‘The Betrayal of Trust by Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim Idris and His Cohorts Within and Outside The Party’ with utmost disgust. This is coming on the heels of a pre-election matter instituted by Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim and a tribunal case filed by Engineer Musa Wada, both aimed at reclaiming their respective mandates.
I begin to wonder if the popular maxim, ‘what is good for the goose is good for the gander’ is no longer tenable in Kogi State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Because, if Engineer Musa Wada is battling at the Kogi governorship election petition tribunal to address anomaly arising from the November 16 governorship election, why is Abubakar Ibrahim’s case to ascertain the actual winner of September 3 PDP governorship primaries an exception? Both Abubakar and Musa are exercising their fundamental rights to justice in the court of law.
As party executive at that top level in Kogi, I expect the writer who decided to rush to town with sentiment-laden opinion, to be circumspect in handling matters relating to the highly controversial primary election organised by PDP in Lokoja that declared Musa Wada winner.
I am not unaware of any collaboration between the fact finding committee to play down on the imbroglio arising from the shady primaries, as pre-election matter is expected to run fully at all levels of courts including the Supreme Court.
However, the controversial fact finding committee was already compromised by some disgruntled party members, who mulled both suspension and expulsion of the aspirant, even before hearing his own side of the story. They have been acting as the mouthpiece of the aspirant declared as PDP candidate.
It is obvious that the fact finding committee only took some statements from the aspirant and his efforts to reach the party’s top echelon thrice to look into the whole drama surrounding the primary election has gone without attention, response or action to address the lingering issue.
At the peak of the assignment of the fact finding committee, it was already obvious that the outcome of the lower court judgement may not be palatable, having seen the plea to be declared winner by the aggrieved aspirant, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim.
It was resolved by the party machinery to convey the decision of the committee to both parties, only for the party deputy spokesman to come up with the inflammatory statements, without recourse to laid down procedures.
it has become glaring that some PDP Excos in Kogi are the protagonist of the ongoing crises within the party. They are in cahoot with some elements that felt business must be as usual in the party in the state, or play along with their decision.
The unilateral decision of some executive members, who are already threatening brimstone and fire against Abubakar Ibrahim for daring to prosecute his case at a higher court, is seen as bias and an erosion of fundamental human rights.
With the open position of Kogi state PDP Deputy Publicity Secretary, it seems some elements in the party have made up their minds to punish Abubakar Ibrahim and his father, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris. However, the planned miscarriage of justice is bound to hit the rocks.
PDP should not allow some overzealous and highly temperamental youthful reactionaries that are not in tandem with the progress of the party push it into playing to the gallery.
It is on record that in spite of the chastisement of the aspirant, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim’s the right to contest, vote and be voted in any political party, including PDP, is not a privilege.
It is never the intention of the aspirant to usurp the rights of others, but in an open contest like the primary election all provision must be strictly adhered to without reservation, unlike what transpired in Kogi during the September 3 primaries.
Abubakar Ibrahim Idris is undaunted, unperturbed and determined to reclaim his stolen mandate at the Supreme Court in few weeks from now.
However, PDP as an organised should not concede to people who are bent on creating further cracks in the party.
– Yusuf Abubakar writes from Abuja.
