Date Published: 10/25/10

ZAMFARA 2011: PDP disown Former Minister's ambition

Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in Tsafe local government area of Zamfara state has disassociated itself from any action or utterances made by the former Minster of state Communications, Alhaji Ikra Aliyu Bilbis over hi aspiration to contest with the incumbent Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi.

The party stated that it will be amount of breach of trust and inconsistency by the people of Tsafe local government to ask any of their son to come out and contests or seek mandate with the present governor of Zamfara state, whom people of Tsafe have a tremendous recognition and respect, describing the ambition of Ikra Aliyu as in matured and lack of moral respect.

 In a statement made avialbale to Sunday Trust by PDP Tsafe local government through one of their stakeholder in the local government area, Alhaji Muktar Mande Tsafe, said, “The party both at the ward, local government and state level is not aware of the former minister Ikra aliyu Bilbis purchasing the nomination form to contest the 2011 gubernatorial election in the state.

He stated that, the elders and officials of the party are not in touch with the former Minister since his last tenure; he did not ask or seek any supports from us to purchase the form, either by meeting or visit.

Alhaji Muktari Mande who is an Ex-offficio of the party representing Tsafe local government at the state level, said the party at the local government level was taken aback when rumours started filtering about in the state that Ikra Bilbis is claiming that he had purchased the gubernatorial nomination form to contest on the PDP platform, while no body in the party either at the local government or state level knows when the former minister purchased the said nomination form.

He said the decision of the former minister to contest the governorship primaries with Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, is an aberration on the part of the former minister as the PDP in the state had reached an agreement that the incumbent governor, Shinkafi would be the only gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2011 elections.

Ex-Officio Mande added that the former minister had also on many occasions publicly declare his unflinching support for governor Shinkafi to continue in 2011, only for him to now claim that he had purchased the nomination form outside Zamfara state without  anybody in the state knowing or witnessing when he purchased   the form.

He is the first indigene of Tsafe to come out publicly and endorsed the candidature of governor Shinkafi during his Ministerial reception in Tsafe town and subsequently made same statement during Governor’s condolence visit to Bilbis, so for which reason he bought the form, is he looking for recognition or playing with the future and dignity of Tsafe people?

He said as far as the party is concerned at the Tsafe local government area where the former minister came from, they are not in support of such ambition as it is capable of causing disaffection in the party in the state.

Alhaji Mande cautioned the former minister to allow peace and harmony currently being enjoined in the party at the state elude it by his selfish motivate and therefore urged the members of the party both at the local government and state levels to disregard the ambition of the former minister for the party to come out victorious in the 2011 elections.

It would be recalled that Bilbis had last Saturday during a phone in radio programme on FRCN Pride FM Gusau, said the decision to purchase the form for the state governorship election on the platform of the PDP  was informed by the request of people in the state to serve them.

The former minister identified the education, roads constructions and job creations as the top priorities of his government if emerged as the party's candidate, and subsequently wins the 2011 election.

But he was later challenged by some PDP leaders in the state who debunked the Minister’s statement as rouse considering the developmental strides of Governor Shinkafi who in the last three and half years have transformed the state into a model in the nation through his development policies and projects.