Labaran Maku who recently resigned from the Federal Cabinet as information minister to contest the governorship position in his Nasarawa state has turned a complainant as he was defeated in the primaries conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
In a letter dated 9th December, 2014 and addressed to the Chairman, Governorship Primaries Appeal Panel, Maku said the PDP in Nasarawa State had earlier written to the national secretariat of the party on 28th November, 2014 to protest the sudden change of the list of delegates from Keana,Obi, Lafia, Akwanga, and Nasarawa Eggon Local Governments.
He said that despite the letter of protest, the Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Senator Adolphus Wabara, following protest by aspirants, insisted that he had instructions from the national secretariat to use the altered delegates list for the governorship primaries.
The former garrulous minister wondered why there were separate delegates list for the conduct of state and National Assembly primaries and the governorship primary.
“The difference is clear and there is no reason whatsoever for the sudden change of the list close to the time of the primary election. The question is how did these delegates in Annexure “B” emerged? Who conducted the process that made them delegates? I submit that Annexure “B” was not only concocted for this process but was illegal, unlawful and undemocratic. I urge you to wade into the matter and set aside the gubernatorial election based on this undemocratic and anomalous primary election.”
Maku said the use of the doctored list of delegates outside the original and authenticated list of delegates was not only illegal and unlawful but could not form the basis of any credible and authentic elections, adding: “the candidate who emerged from such an exercise cannot truly be the candidate that represents the aspirations of the people of Nasarawa State and our great party”.
He added that besides that, the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the guidelines of the electioneering as the number of ballot papers far exceeded the number of delegates in Nasarawa State.
Maku complained that the use of threat and coercion was applied to prevent delegates from freely expressing their choice of candidate as voting commenced late and went into the night thereby exposing delegates to danger.
“it is on this premise that I urge you most respectfully to use your good and exalted office to timeously intervene by canceling the gubernatorial primary election held in Nasarawa and to conduct another primary election so as to ensure that a free and fair election is conducted in the state.” [myad]
