By Gbenga Akingbule
Some stakeholders within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State, on Thursday, stated that its Senatorial Candidate for Borno- Central, Jubrin Mustapha Tatabe has not withdrawn from the race as being speculated in some quarters.
Lifestyle Nigeria reports that the Spokesman of the group, Haruna Musa and the Director General of Tatabe Senatorial Campaign Organisation alongside their supporters made the disclosure during a press conference in Maiduguri, the state capital.
The group specifically accused a recent decampee to the PDP, Mohammed Kumailia, of orchestrating the rumour by allegedly forging a withdrawal letter and making it available to the National Secretariat of the Party.
According to the group, the matter has since been charged to court but noted that the essence of the press conference is to reassure their supporters and the constituents of Borno Central Senatorial District that Hon Tatabe remains the authentic PDP candidate.
Spokesman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State, Haruna Musa.
“The Local Government and Ward Party Executives of Born Central Senatorial district are astonished to hear that the Senatorial Candidate of Borno Central Senatorial district Hon. Jibrin Mustapha Tatabe who was unanimously elected by our delegates was substituted and replaced by Hon. Mohammed Umara Kumalia by our party.
“The PDP constitution as amended is very clear on the readmission of returning members to the party and to the best of our knowledge Kumalia didn’t apply for a waiver to contest for any elective position for our endorsement and escalation.
“We have approached Hon. Tatabe and found out that he has not withdrawn his nomination as our Senatorial Candidate.
“We are aware of Section 31 of the electorate Act 2022 as amended which is vividly clear that “a candidate may withdraw his/her nomination by notice in writing and signed by him and shall be delivered personally by him/her to the political party that nominated him/her.
“We are an opposition party that desires to take over power from the ruling party; if impunity exists in our party nobody will vote for us in the fourth coming election. The voters are wise you cannot impose a candidate on them.
“We are therefore informing the world that we are not aware of any party primary conducted in our constituency that produced the purported Hon Kumalia and accordingly we are not part of it,” the group said.