PDP postpones governorship primary election in Niger as aspirants protest

Governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday following protests by four of the five aspirants contesting the election.

The protesting aspirants, Alhaji Sani Kutigi, Alhaji Sidi Abdul, Mr Abdulrahman Gimba and Alhaji Abubakar Jankara, insisted that delegates must identify themselves properly before they could be accredited.

A total of 800 delegates were expected to elect the party’s governorship candidate.

The four aspirants took the decision that all delegates must identify themselves properly after an emergency meeting they held in one of the offices at the PDP secretariat, venue of the election.

Jankara, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants, conveyed their decision to the Chairman of the electoral panel and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

The protesters insisted that delegates must present a means of identification, which should be a national drivers’ licence, a national identity card or international passport.

Efforts by Ewhrudjakpo to pacify the aspirants to agree that the delegates be identified by the chairmen of their respective local governments failed.

The four aspirants also intimated the head of the security team at the venue, Assistant Commissioner of Police Adedeji Taiwo, who advised them to put their complaint in writing.

Ewhrudjakpo later informed newsmen that he had directed all delegates to get means of identification and shifted the exercise to Thursday.