A Zamfara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Alhaji Sagir Hamidu, in the company of some of his supporters, yesterday stormed the campaign office of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in Kaduna.

El-Rufai is the governorship candidate of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) for the February 14 governorship election in Kaduna.

Hamidu, in what appeared to be a vote of no confidence on the leadership of his party, told journalists that PDP is full of injustice and impunity. He maintained that he was short-changed with the former governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Mahmud Shinkafi, during the recent PDP primary in the state.

Although Hamidu urged his teeming supporters in Zamfara to await his next move, he noted that his solidarity visit to El-Rufai, whom he simply described “as my boss”, does not constitute an anti-party activity.

He insisted that even though he remains a card-carrying member of the ruling party, he had no reason to abandon El-Rufai because “he is an age-long friend and brother which political differences cannot separate.”

According to Hamidu, “From what I have seen so far, there is injustice in Zamfara PDP. I felt short-changed at the governorship primary election. But I have taken it in good fate and at the appropriate time, the truth will prevail because politics is dynamic. There is a great injustice in Zamfara PDP.

“I participated in Zamfara PDP gubernatorial primaries, but things did not go my way as expected. I cannot tell you whether I will decamp to APC or not, but the people will hear from me.

“This is democracy; I don’t think anybody will misunderstand my visit as an anti-party activity. Democracy is about interaction, we interact for understanding in order to deepen democracy, and bridge political differences.

“As you might have known, Mallam El-Rufai has been my boss and once a boss, you are always a boss. I was supposed to visit him during the new year but I was not able to see him. I have actually come to wish him well in his gubernatorial ambition. I have come to pay him the usual respect.”

A source at the El-Rufai campaign office however told News Express that mass defection of some notable members of PDP in Zamfara State to APC before the February 14 election in the state is imminent.

“What some of us experienced at the governorship primary in the state has taught us great lesson and the party (PDP) must be paid in the same coins,” the source said, adding:

“There is no doubt that the party is full of impunity and injustice as the National Chairman had earlier said. We worked and we were dumped. That is the party for you. We are PDP in Zamfara State. Without us, the party is dead in the state. Wait and see.”

•Photo shows Sagir Hamidu.

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