June 11, (THEWILL) – A chieftain and senatorial aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State, Alhaji Idris Gatumbwa Mamman, has announced his formal defection to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside his teeming supporters.
With his defection, Alhaji Mamman has also been nominated as running mate to Alhaji Mohammed Ali Jajari, the State Governorship Candidate of the PDP for the 2023 guber election.
Mamman (fondly known as ‘Idris Durkwa’), had recently contested for Borno South Senatorial primary election under the platform of the APC. He alleged that ‘the whole exercise was characterised by electoral irregularities and imposition, that produced the incumbent Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, as the winner of the 2023 Borno South Senatorial election.’
Durkwa claimed that the lack of respect and non-compliance with the 2022 Electoral Act Provisions by the powers-that-be within the Borno State APC, which culminated into a shady and dictatorial tendencies during the last two weeks House of Assembly and Senatorial Primary elections, particularly what transpired in Southern Borno Senatorial District, where many delegates, as well as teeming APC supporters, were disenfranchised from exercising their franchise or rights in the whole exercise, were some of the reasons behind his defection from APC to the PDP.
He equally claimed that the political narratives in Southern Borno Senatorial District needed urgent attention and change for people of the constituency to feel the impact of democracy in the zone.
Speaking to Journalists on Friday, on why he defected, Durkwa said, “as a democrat, a time has come for me and my teeming supporters to join forces with the major opposition party (PDP), which is determined to wrest power come 2023, especially in southern Borno Senatorial District.
“Majority of our people in the constituency are glaringly clamouring for change, in view of the poor representation by their lawmaker at the National Assembly in the past decade, and that is what informed my decision.
“I had the privileges and also had an interface with many people from the nine (9) Local Government Areas that constituted Southern Borno Senatorial District, especially during my tour and consultations with delegates, stakeholders and teaming APC members.
“Unfortunately, I have seen the shedding tears on their faces as a result of lack of quality education, healthcare, decay in social infrastructures such as lack of boreholes, electricity, and the increasing poverty and joblessness amongst youths and the women folk. All these can be attributed to lack of proper representation by good leaders. In fact, these narratives have to be changed.”
He further revealed that he defected to his new party early this week, after which, he has since been issued with his PDP membership card with registration number: 012 and INEC – Voters’ Identity Number, VIN: A25622408 in Shaffa Ward, Hawul Local Government Area of the state, that was duly signed by the Chairmen and Secretaries at his respective Ward, Local Government, State and National level.
“I have formally come to pay my respect to the PDP, which is the only opposition party to beat come 2023 general elections. I didn’t join the PDP alone, but I moved in with all my teeming supporters across the 27 LGAs of Borno State.
“I and my teeming supporters are going to contribute in our maximum way to ensure that our Presidential Candidate, the former Vice President of Nigeria, (GCON), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and indeed all our candidates vying for various political positions on the platform of our great party, win with unprecedented victory come 2023.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank all my teeming supporters, who have also joined the promising and the unstoppable train, in continuation of their unflinching/maximum support and cooperation to ensure we all reach the promised land”, Durkwa said.
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