Ezekiel Darius
Zango-Kataf Local Government Citizens for Justice and Inclusion, yesterday, in Kaduna decried the emergence of Hon. Francis A. Sani, popularly known as Zimbo, as PDP chairmanship candidate for a second consecutive time, despite the existence of a zoning and rotation agreement which bars him from running as council chairman for a second term calls for serious concern.
The statement is contained in a press statement , which was signed by the convener of the group, Mr. Sabastine Bahori Luka was issued to Gurara Accord after a conference they held in Kaduna.
Adding that, as patriotic citizens, therefore, we can not fold our arms and watch until the situation degenerates into a full-blown crisis. We are, therefore, calling for the unity of all men and women of goodwill within and outside the LGA at this trying time for our dear Zangon Kataf local government.
Mr. Zimbo and his corrupt political contractors in Zango Kataf constituency who allegedly collected huge sums of money to go against the established norm of zoning and rotation system in the LG, must be taught a serious lesson by sendjng Hon. Zimbo packing and restorng the peace and unity of our people which our founding fathers worked and fougt very hard to sustain.
Indeed, the attempt to hoist Zimbo on us again, is an affront on our collective sensibility, threat to our fragile unity and peace, destructive to our unity, and disrespectful to our revered elders whose caution against doing so was thrown to the wind.
We, therefore, want to use this opportunity to salute all the PDP delegates who bravely stood on the side of Truth and Justice by rejecting the rumoured 100,000 to 500,000 naira largesse offered by Zimbo to delegates willing to sell their votes, and voted for Hon. Ben Bako instead, with a view to sustaining the rotation agreement and ensuring fairness.
Although they did not succeed at the primary election, the 118 votes that they gave Hon. Bako, which is equivalent to the votes of over 5 wards, speaks volumes. We urge them never to feel discouraged or waiver but demonstrate similar commitment during the secondary election by putting our unity first and above party considerations, and thus, vote for the candidates of other political parties that have shown commitment towards justice amd fairness. We assure you that posterity will be kind to you and your generations yet unborn.
We are, however, worried by the rumour going on that Mr.Zimbo breached the agreement and is unapologetic about it because his political godfather and benefactor, Sen. Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung has extracted the commitment of governor Uba Sani to concede the council chairmanship of the LG to the Senator’s candidate and party at a meeting in France.
While we do not think that Governor Uba Sani would stoop so low as to making a commitment to “hand over^ an elective office of the people to the Senator’s candidate in an election that the people’s wishes and not a Senator’s wish should count, we will, nonetheless, not take the rumour with levity.
We are, therefore, appealing to His Excellency, Sen. Uba Sani, to as a matter of concern come out clean on this matter by warning the peddlers of such lies and mischief against him as well as making a public commitment to stand on the side of the people of Zango Kataf when they will be kicking Mr. Zimbo and his cohorts out of office come 19th October 2024
In response, the Special Adviser, Media & Publicity, to the Executive Chairman, Zango-Kataf LGC, Mr. Yabvo Chris Ephraim, my principal, is contesting for the second term in office within the confines of his constitutional right. He did not breach the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In addition, there was a gentleman agreement that warranted all eligible aspirants to contest, which they did in the just concluded Zango-Kataf LG Party primary, and my principal emerged victorious through a credible voting prprocess
So, it baffles me when disgruntled few who are not even members of the PDP were contracted to issue a press statement, which is loaded with lies and clear misrepresentation of facts. The people of Zangon Kataf Local Government will not be swayed by men with zero integrity, particularly Sebastian Bahoriv Luka who had on March 21st 2024 in the Chairman’s office professed his support and commitment to the Executive Chairman in a viral video where he said he will work for the re-election of the chairman for a second term. It is unfortunate that such a character has taken a U-turn to play a script.
Their claims are unfounded, full of misrepresentation of facts, and mischievous. It is authored by characters outside the PDP whose integrity is dented. A free, fair, peaceful, and keenly contested primary election by the PDP in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area that produced Zimbo cannot be undone by propaganda.
