Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC-Zamfara Central) has warned that he, and his supporters will not be part of the All Progressives Party (APC)’s Presidential Campaign in Zamfara on Sunday, Feb. 3, if the party went ahead with the rally.
Marafa, who spoke with State House correspondents on Friday at the presidential villa, said he had advised that it would be better to resolve the lingering crisis in the state chapter of the APC before such a rally.
He, however, said that he and his supporters would continue to campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he described as very popular among Zamfara people.
A Zamfara State High Court sitting in Gusau and a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, had on Jan. 25, given two conflicting judgments on the Zamfara APC crisis.
The Zamfara State High Court upheld the primary election conducted by the state chapter of APC while the Federal High Court, Abuja barred the party from fielding candidates in Zamfara in the forthcoming general elections.
Marafa, said he was not yet aware of the reported cancellation of the APC Zamfara rally, saying that he had advised that it suspended because it would serve the interest of the party, the president and Zamfara people.
According to him, Zamfara APC currently does not have candidates because of the political impasse that characterised the state primaries.
“Because of the rumple between disagreeing parties, we felt it is better Mr President suspends his visit to Zamfara; after all, we are there; we can campaign for him; he knows us; he knows our individual capacities.
“There is no point bringing all the factions under one umbrella; because once the president is there, everybody will like to show their faces.
“However, we feel it is avoidable; but you cannot come to the president with just one single suggestion.
“So, I just put my opinion across; that if it is a must, because the party has fixed Feb. 3, for the visit; then we want to be excused.
“Because there is no way President Buhari will go to Zamfara and my face is not seen; and people will not ask questions, I think it is not fair.
“We are not doing anything to impress anybody; we have already gotten all the necessary trust and belief from Mr President; even if he is not there, we will do the right thing.
“But if the party or the Presidential Campaign Council feels they must be in Zamfara on Sunday, I and my supporters want to be excused.
“We will conduct our own rally for the president on a different date and we will air it on NTA so that everybody can see.’’
He said that the most important thing was that Zamfara people all believed in Mr President and would support and vote for him in the presidential election.
Marafa said that he had gone to the Appeal Court praying the appellate court to reconsider the judgment and give APC a new lease of life.
The senator said he prayed the court to allow APC to conduct primaries for just one day and then submit the result to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“ We hope Appeal Court will do justice to the people of Zamfara and to the various aspirants that purchased the forms at a very high cost,’’ he said.
PM NEWS
