…We will unite to reclaim all stolen mandates – PDP Chair, elected members
Kaduna State Peoples Democratic Party PDP Governorship Candidate, Right Honourable Isa Muhammed Ashiru, aftermath the state Gubernatorial and House of Assembly election result, which the party is contesting, had a parley with select Journalists in his Kaduna resident where he claimed the certificate of returns presented to Senator Uba Sani by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC as the winner is temporary as the PDP will reclaim the peoples mandate.
Also, all elected members of the National and State Assembly on the party platform resolved to unite to fight and reclaim not just the Governorship seat, but more of the House of Representatives and State Assembly.
Voice of Liberty was part of the parley.
Question; on 30th March, 2023 the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued Certificate of Returns to Senator Uba Sani. What is your reaction?
Ashiru; I heard that he will presented with the certificate of return. Like you have confirmed, he has been presented with the certificate. But by the special grace of God it is going to be temporary. We have taken measures to make sure we get our mandates back and we would follow due process as laid down by law.
I don’t have any fear as to getting our mandates back because we have all the facts available. I want to continue to appeal to our good people of Kaduna State to remain calm and be prayerful. We don’t have any fear.
Question; You said you will reclaim you mandate through a due. What due process would you follow?
Ashiru; Well, the constitutional way of getting our mandate back is as enshrined in the Electoral Act.
One, we have written a letter of appeal to INEC headquarters As enshrined in the electoral act, and, side by side, we have started collating data on how to pursue our case at the tribunal.
So, for me, I think that is the legitimate means I feel we should follow through.
Question; Is that in conformity with the days stipulated by the constitution?
Ashiru; Seven days actually for administrative review by INEC. For the tribunal we are still on course. We still have time with nine more days to go.
Though INEC has introduced measures that are too cumbersome; maybe to frustrate our efforts, that we have to go through the tribunal. But as far as I am concerned, every Nigerian has the right to apply and get documents from INEC without any encumbrance,
But what they did they feel is to frustrate us. But we are on course.
Question; The PDP was said to have garnered more members for the State House of Assembly. However during the issuance of Certificate of Returns they had only 12 members. What is your take on that?
Ashiru; Well, they have selected some Local Governments for rerun; four Local Governments for re-run. Including my Local Government; we should wait and see.
They know their reasons. This is one of their strategies to ensure the person they want to impose has control of the State House of Assembly. For me, we wait and see. 15th of April is around the corner to get it done. We will maintain our lead by the grace of God. And when it is rived, when I get my mandate back, we will work with all and sundry.
The State is what is before us and we will do our best to take Kaduna State to where it should be.
Question; There is a rumour in town that a high powered delegation was sent by the APC to plead with you not to seek legal redress in your word ‘not to reclaim your stolen mandate’. What is you take on that?
Ashiru; Well, I am sure you must have heard or read it on social media. I heard and also read it on social media. Why come to me to lobby. This mandate is not for Isah Ashiru. It is for the good people of Kaduna State.
I had a similar problem 2019, but I took it upon myself to pursue through due process, through the laws of the land in making sure that I get their mandate back, which was not successful. I will do the same thing this time around.
I don’t have any fear as for anyone seeing me. I am a human being like any other person. Whoever thinks he has anything to say, he is welcome.
Question; But have you actually been approached not to take those steps?
Ashiru; Not yet.
Question; But are you aware also aware of a picture in circulation that your opponent visited your close associate and chieftain of the party Senator Muhammed Ahmed Makarfi to plead with him to compel you not challenge the election outcome?
Ashiru; I saw it on the social media too. The person concerned called me and told me this is what is happening. I told him to take it easy. That is life. They have been like that and you can’t change them.
They have been trying to reach out to people who are within the hierarchy of the PDP. There is nothing wrong in reaching out to them.
But I want to assure you that that picture was taken 2 years ago, in fact as back as 202. But because of mischief what they do is to see if they can begin to change the psyche of our people by posting these kinds of pictures.
But for me, it is in their characters and it is not unexpected.
Question; How confident are you in reclaiming this mandate?
Ashiru; I am very confident because we have all the necessary documents at hand. We have worked tirelessly in the last two weeks to fish out all the grey areas. We have concluded that yesterday (Sunday) and we are preparing to file our papers at the tribunals. So we are very confident.
Question; As you accuse the PDP of rigging elections, they also accused your party of rigging in some Local Government Areas such as Chikun, Kudan, Makarfi and Kajuru. What can you say about that?
Ashiru; They are entitled to their opinions. If they can prove that beyond reasonable doubt, if they have the documents and they are prepared; we are prepared and we know what they did in Kudan my Local Government. We know what they did in Lere and so many other Local Governments. So I want to assure you that we don’t have any fear. Let them come up with their reasons.
We have our documents and we will present before the tribunal.
Question; Looking at the judiciary and recent court judgments, do you have confidence in the judiciary?
Ashiru; I want to assure you that the judges are fair minded people. They are there to serve humanity not themselves. I want to assure you that I have confidence in them and they will do justice to our case. So there is no fear at all.
We will unite to reclaim all stolen mandates – PDP Chair, Members-Elected
Question; Why are you meeting with all elected members and stakeholders?
Hyet; It is a family meeting of all elected members on the platform of the party at various levels. Our three elected Senators are here. Our Reps members are all here. Our State Assembly elected members are all here. They are here to meet with our party leadership and our Governor-in-waiting, assuring the party and the Governor-In-waiting of their total support and the need to move together. So it is a family affair.
Question; some days ago you said you are going to reclaim you stolen mandate. How soon are you going to do that?
Hyet; It is a court process and you know that after the declaration of result, you have 21 days to file in your petition. We are still working on it and we are still within time. So you don’t have anything to worry. I can assure you that yes, we are going to retrieve our mandate from the people that stole it in broad day light.
Question; Chairman, there is a rumor that there is division among your elected members. What is happening?
Answer; When you have a big house, people mistake difference in ideas and call it division. We don’t have division and that is why you are seeing all of them here.
Question; you have outstanding State Assembly supplementary elections. How hopeful are you to win them?
Hyet; We are very hopeful because we know the areas involved. They are our great areas, so we don’t have a problem.
And let me tell you, it is not only the seat of the Governor that we are going to get back, there are other seats of the House of Reps and State Assembly that we will take back because we have the figure. And anywhere that there was foul play, we are certainly not going to leave the stones unturned. We will bring everything out to the public domain so that the Minsiters in the tenmple of justice can do justice to the people of Kaduna State.
They are not going to do justice to the PDP, let them do justice to the people Kaduna State because they are the ones that cast their ballots and they want their votes to count.
Question; what assurance are you given that you will go fight for these stolen mandates with one fronts as a party?
Hyet; We have been moving as a family, and the way you see us here is a clear indication. We have the Governor-in-waiting who is a determined person, and having all of us solidly behind him, we don’t see any area that we will be afraid of. We leave everything for God and we are prayerful and we urge the people to keep praying and to keep giving us the support.
Senator-elect Sunday Marshal Katung; Southern Kaduna
Question; What are the issues raised at this meeting and why the meeting?
Katung; Like the Chairman said it is a family meeting and when you have family meeting you don’t come out and start divulging what you planned or what you discussed as a family. All I can tell you is that we came to show solidarity with our Governor-elect who we believed was robbed of a mandate and believe that this mandate is going to be gotten back through due process because we are people who believe in the system and we believe in due process, and we know that this mandate would be reclaimed by the grace of God.
Question; there are rumors that the House is divided against itself and you may not fight this with a common front. What is your take?
Katung; It is a strategy the armed robbers who stole this mandate in the first instance. We are ever united. You can see today, all our three Senators-elect are here. All our ten House of Representatives-Elect Members are here. All our State House of Assembly Elected members are here, as well all our council chairmen are here too. So, we don’t see the kind of division you are talking about.
It is a distraction to us and we are not going to be distracted, we are focused in reclaiming this mandate.
Question; The Labour Party candidate claimed that he won the election and that you rigged it. What are you going to say?
Katung; It is about prove and claim. Anybody can claim. If he can prove it, why not. It is not a matter of life and death for me, like the way they are behaving; I don’t.
If today they can go and prove that I didn’t win this election, fine. But I know that I won fine and square. So I am not shaking at all. Anybody can go to court.
Senator-Elect Ibrahim Khalid Northern Kaduna.
Question; Can reveal some of the Local Governments you feel you won and need to reclaim?
Khalid; I am sorry these are issues that are about to be in court, we don’t intend to disclose some of the areas that are in contention for now. By the time we file our matters in court, you will be able to see the areas that are in contention and will agree with us that those areas are important areas that we need to pursue and ensure victory comes back to our side.
Question; Are you sure you have enough prove to do that?
Khalid; I am very sure we have enough prove.
Question; What assurance are you giving that you will all do this with a common front?
Khalid; As you have seen that we are all here to show solidarity with our Gubernatorial hopeful, and our party as well, it is very clear that we will fight for our mandate to the last.
Senator-Elect Usman Lawal Adamu (Mr LA) Kaduna Central
Question; Hoe does it feel to be part of this meeting?
Mr LA; I feel excited and encouraged that the party is united and focus on reclaiming our mandate.
Question; What kind of support are you going to give in reclaiming this mandate?
Mr LA; I will give every support it deserves, every support it deserves to win back this mandate. You can count me on the front row seat in that.
