Barely two weeks after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had its local government congress nationwide, over 5,000 members have dumped the party owing to discrepancies in Chanchaga Local Government Area.
Lamenting the level of favouritism and godfatherism experienced during the congress, the leader of the group, Dr. Jibrin Datti Balarebe, said that the process was manipulated by the party leadership to favour prefered candidates.
Balarebe said during a press briefing in Minna that the recent development in the party particularly masterminded by the outgone LGA Chairman, Shehu Aliyu Paiko, is capable of destroying the party both at local and state level.
While disclosing that they started as a pressure group, Balarebe said “During the last congress of the PDP in Chanchaga LGA, the attitude of those at the helm of affairs showed that the party has not learnt from its previous mistakes which led to the failure of the party to win the 2015 general elections.
“In view of this, we, over 5,000 in number have decided to leave the party because we cannot be part of continued failure when we have all that it takes to succeed and win elections come 2019.
“Before this decision, all efforts to see that these anomalies are corrected failed despite the intervention of the State Exco and other party leaders under the leadership of former Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Kure.”
He further disclosed that the group has not decided whether to join any other party at the moment.
He said, “Doors are opened for dialogue and subsequent resolution in as much as we vehemently reject the outcome of the congress which was heavily manipulated by some individuals.”
Balarebe warned that out of the over 7,000 members in Chanchaga, 5,000 have dumped the PDP and the same action would be replicated in the remaining 24 LGAs.
“We don’t sympathise with the PDP anymore, if we have to consider reconciliation, they must nullify the LGA congress,” he said.
