Borno Group Kicks against Substitution of Lawan’s Name

Shola Oyeyipo Members of the YerwaOodu’a Socio-Economic Society, a union of concerned indigenes of Borno State in South-western part of the country, have kicked against the wrongful substitution of Alhaji Gambo Lawan as the party’s governorship candidate for Borno State in the 2015 election with Alhaji Mohammed Imam.

Lawan, who is a former Chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Movement and ex-Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, had picked the party’s governorship ticket at a process in Abuja personally supervised by President Goodluck Jonathan following his intervention to resolve the lingering disagreement over the PDP governorship ticket in the state.

The former GDM chairman and founding leader of PDP in the state was affirmed by the party’s delegates and a Certificate of Return issued to him after the election.

In attendance during the primary election were VicePresident Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, Borno State PDP Chairman, Minister of State for Power Muhammed Wakil, and BoT members and other stakeholders from the state.

But on the eve of the submission of parties’ governorship candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Lawan’s name was, however, substituted by the PDP National Chairman with that of Imam, a nominee of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Lagos, the Chairman of the group, Alhaji Kachalla G. Bulama, called on President Jonathan and the leadership of the PDP to reverse the wrongful substitution in the interest of justice and fair play.

He said Imam is not any way fit to be governor of Borno State at this critical period.

Bulama said though they are not really concerned with the political intricacies in the PDP, but they are concerned with the person of Imam in the event that he becomes the governor of the state with all the challenges.

“Imam is not fit in any way to be a governor of Borno even in normal times not to talk of the critical time Borno has found itself. His name was smuggled in to replace the validly elected governorship candidate in the person of Alhaji Gambo Lawan that was elected by delegates and given certificate of return by the INEC. We are not really concerned with the political intricacies in PDP but we are concerned with the person of Imam in the event that he becomes the Governor of Borno State with all our challenges.”

The group wondered why Sheriff would impose Imam on the people of the state when a few years back, he allegedly refused him (Imam) to marry his (Sheriff) daughter on account that he was irresponsible.

“What have we done to Sheriff in Borno that he wants to sacrifice our future just for his political interest? Have we done anything wrong by electing him twice as governor and three times as a senator?”