The Kaduna State chapter of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has condemned the cancellation of the invitation extended to it’s governorship candidate, Hon. Sani Mahmood Sha’aban to the governorship debate organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa service which held yesterday at the Kaduna State University (KASU) auditorium.
The ADP chairman in Kaduna State, Hon. Umar Musa and the campaign director general (DG) Hon. Ben Kure while addressing a press conference, described the act as a deliberate attempt to ridicule their candidate whom they said has won the hearts of the Kaduna people.
According to them, BBC had earlier formally invited their candidate Hon. Sha’aban to be part of the debate organised for candidates of various political parties contesting for Kaduna guber poll in the forthcoming election, but surprisingly the invitation was withdrawn on Tuesday, a day to the debate.
The campaign DG, Kure, disclosed that he received a WhatsApp message from a correspondent of BBC informing him that Sha’aban is not eligible to participate in the debate because INEC said he is not the authentic candidate of the party.
Kure said it is true that Yusuf Jubril whose name is still on the INEC website was just a placeholder, adding however that when the window for submission of names of candidate was opened by INEC, the party conducted a valid primaries to substitute and that Shaaban emerged in the process monitored by INEC officials, security and relevant stakeholders.
He said the placeholder Jubril had sworn affidavit that he has withdrawn and no longer the candidate of the ADP.
Kure reiterated that the party had done the needful, stressing that relevant documents validating the emergence of Sha’aban as the authentic candidate of the party was submitted and received by INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He alledged that the withdrawal of invitation may be the handwork of politicians who perhaps are afraid that Sha’aban may outshine them. He said he treated same way during the Kaduna guber primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said, “we received the withdrawal of notice with mixed feelings because in communication with INEC, Jubril Yusuf was just the dummy by the party.
“Every process was duly followed and documents were Signed by the National chairman and secretary of the party and submitted to the INEC headquarters in Abuja. Notice of emergency congress was given and INEC can also testify of the substitution primary that produced our candidate.” He said.
The DG appealed to their teaming supporters to remain calm, adding that there is no cause for alarm as their candidate will use other available mediums to reach out to the good people of Kaduna state as soon as possible
He disclosed that they had demanded for the copy of INEC letter sent to BBC that led to the withdrawal of invitation but there was no evidence to prove the assertion.
He said INEC as a responsible commission is saddlled with the responsibilities of uploading over 60,000 profiles of candidates due to court matters, expressed optimism that Sani Sha’aban remains the authentic candidate of ADP without any doubt and will win the 2023 guber poll to liberate the good people of Kaduna state from the decades of misrule.
“ While thanking the BBC for the earlier invite, we look forward to another opportunity to be in your live program” Kure said in their reply to BBC.
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