Zamfara governorship candidate Senator Marafa ponders quitting APC as party can no longer field candidates

ZAMFARA Central Senatorial District lawmaker Senator Kabiru Marafa has indicated that he may quit the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the ongoing furore about the submission on candidates' names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

Earlier this week, Inec told the APC that it will not be allowed to field candidates in Zamfara State having missed the deadline. Under Inec's timetable, political parties had until October 7 to conclude their primary elections and the last day for the submission of lists of sponsored candidates is October 18 for the presidential and national assembly elections and November 2 for governorship and state houses of assembly polls.

Due to endless infighting within the Zamfara chapter of the APC, the party has been unable to hold primary elections as several attempt to elect candidates have ended in rancour, with one even resulting in delegates exchanging blows. According to Inec, this means that the party will not be able to feature candidates in any election in the state, apart from the presidency where it has adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as its flagbearer.

Consequently, Senator Marafa, who was planning to run for governor, aligned himself with Inec, saying he supports the position that it is now too late to field candidates from Zamfara State. APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole has responded by saying that the party has selected its consensus candidates but Senator Marafa refuted this claim, adding that there was neither an election nor the selection of consensus candidates by the aspirants.

Senator Marafa said: “I read the letter from Inec where they quoted some sections of the law that influenced their position and I also read the response made by the APC national chairman. I want to believe the chairman was misled by the APC electoral committee that came to Zamfara.

“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 APC electoral committee reported in the contrary, which I think was absolutely wrong.

“I always stand by the side of the truth as I want to say the truth even if it is against me. I’m an APC member to the core and, I am still with the APC, notwithstanding that the chances are becoming bleak, maybe for me as a politician but I believe in the party and 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 any candidate, I will be happy. However, when the issues are based on a wrong foundation and you force any consensus as being claimed when there was none, there is going to be a revolt that there was no consensus and anybody has the right to go to court."

He added that there were five aspirants in the gubernatorial race and there was no consensus on who should be the candidate until the end of the exercise. Senator Marafa, who has already been linked with a move to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (Apga), has not ruled out making such a switch.