Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State governor

Michael Adeshina

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of electoral fraud and pulled out of January 16, 2021, local government elections in Kano State.

The state caretaker Chairman of the party, Alhaji Danladi Umar Kagara, stated on Monday that PDP does not have confidence and trust in the electoral process under Ganduje’s administration.

He alleged that the outcome of the election has been predetermined by Ganduje-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

Kagara added that the January local government election would be reminiscent of the 2019 election where Ganduje allegedly manipulated the election processes and influenced court verdicts to return to power.

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He said: “The state government has set aside the sum of N2.3 billion for an election that already has a predetermined outcome.”

“Our party (PDP) is reminiscent of the conduct of Ganduje-led administration during the 2019 general election and has carefully studied the process and come to the conclusion that the APC-led government has grossly undermined the independence of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), and therefore, it lacks the moral impetus to superintend any election in the state.

“The PDP and indeed the people of the state cannot forget how Ganduje and the APC, in connivance with electoral officials, used hoodlums and political thugs as well as security agents to intimidate voters and disenfranchise the populace during the 2019 general election that fraudulently brought the Ganduje administration into office by also manipulating the judiciary.

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“Furthermore, the conduct of the Ganduje administration in the buildup to the January local government election has shown how the APC members have turned the electoral process into a do-or-die affair.

“How can a government that manipulates and subverts its own party constitution just to impose preferred candidates in its primary be able to conduct a free and fair local election that will treat the opposition parties fairly?

“An election that is prearranged to serve as payback to Ganduje’s cronies can be everything but credible, and we will be naive and presumptuous to think that we will have a level playing ground as the opposition.”

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However, Kagara noted that the current position of the party can be altered when the need arises.