The Kaduna State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised the gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Isa Ashiru, to answer questions that are being raised about his integrity.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Deputy Director General of the Campaign Council, Comrade Sanusi Maikudi, APC noted that “keeping silent on this weighty issue is not golden, especially for someone who is contesting for public office.”

Comrade Maikudi said that there is “a document which has now gone viral, indicating that Isa Ashiru was sacked by the then Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Col Lawal Jaafaru Isa, as a staff of Kaduna State Board of Inland Revenue Service, for being part of a syndicate that diverted public revenue for private use.”

The statement further said that a disclaimer was published in the January 21, 1994 edition of The Democrat newspaper, adding that Ashiru’s name was number 149 on the list of culprits.

“Till date, neither the PDP governorship candidate nor his political party has shed light on the allegation or even denied it,” the statement pointed out.

It noted that the laws of Nigeria are clear about the eligibility of people aspiring to be presidents, governors, federal and state legislators or even council chairmen.

“Specifically, section 182(i) disqualifies anyone who has been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a judicial commission of inquiry or an administrative panel of inquiry or a Tribunal set up under the Tribunal of Inquiry Law or any other law by the federal or state government, which indictment has been accepted,” the statement said.

It further said that since the indicating document went viral about four days ago, there has been intense pressure by the people of Kaduna State for Ashiru to explain the circumstances under which he left the services of Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue Service, especially as the governorship election is round the corner.

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