As uncertainty trails participation of any candidate on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) from Zamfara state in the 2019 general elections, one of the gubernatorial aspirants, Senator Kabiru Marafa declared yesterday that there were no consensus candidates for any of the elective positions as claimed by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.
Oshiomhole had in the wake of letter written to the party on Wednesday that for failing to hold primaries supervised by INEC officials before 12 midnight of Sunday, October 7, 2018, the party cannot field candidates for the four different categories of elections aside that of the President.
The elections in which the party in the state will not participate are: governorship, senatorial,House of Representatives elections and state Assembly elections.
But Senator Marafa, at a media briefing, debunked the claim of Oshiomhole on consensus candidate.
He said neither primaries nor consensus arrangement were arrived at by the party in the state before the expiration of time given by INEC which was 12 midnight of Sunday, October 7, 2018.
He said: “I read the letter from INEC where they quoted sections of the law that influenced their position.
I also read the response made by the APC National Chairman.
I want to believe the chairman was been misled by the APC electoral committee that went to Zamfara .
“But as a stakeholder who was present and witnessed the whole process that happened, there was no election in Zamfara on the Saturday October 7, 2018.
“Also, there was no consensus from anybody or by anybody.
So, the election committee reported in the contrary.
I think that was absolutely wrong.
I always stand by the side of the truth.
I want to say the truth even if it is against me.” He however added that he is still a member of the APC, but that if the party does anything wrong, he would not hesitate to point it out.
“I’m an APC member to the core, and I’m still with the APC, notwithstanding that the chances are becoming bleak, may be for me as a politician.
But I believe in the party.
If the party does anything wrong, I should have the courage to say this thing is wrong.
“If the party has any way within the law to fill in any candidate, I will be happy, but not when the issues are based on a wrong foundation.
So, let us address the issues the way they are.
“We are going into election and the desire of every party is to win and win without any litigation, divert attention and waste resources.
I would not want to see one happening to me.
“So, by and large, the only thing I saw wrong in the letter is the assertion that there was a consensus.
There was no consensus.
We are gubernatorial aspirants but some people stepped down,” he said.
