Seek redress, substituted Borno PDP guber candidate advises

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

A group of Borno indigenes under the auspices of ‘Borno Coalition for Good Governance’ yesterday, advised Alhaji Gambo Lawan, who won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in the state to take legal action over his substitution with another candidate.

Our correspondent reports that Borno PDP stakeholders met in Abuja at the weekend and substituted Alhaji Lawan  with Alhaji Mohammed Imam, who was believed to have backing of the former governor, Senator Ali Modu sheriff.

However, the group, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Modu Wulgo and Secretary, John Ndirbula, urged Lawan to seek legal redress to correct what they termed as  ‘injustice’.

“We urge Alhaji Gambo Lawan, whose name was illegally substituted as the torch-bearer for Borno PDP, to head to court, as this cannot stand in any court of law nor any party that has respect for internal democracy.

“The emergence of Mohamed Imam as the flag-bearer of the PDP in Borno state is a rape on democracy and another desperate attempt by Senator Sheriff to rule by proxy”, the group said.

The former governor, who had it rough with his former political ally, Governor Kashim Shettima and had to seek succour in PDP, was positioning his lackey or surrogate for the Government House, Maiduguri”, the group alleged.

“After Sheriff  failed to control the resources of Borno state through Governor Shettima, out of frustration, he dumped the All Progressives Congress for PDP.

“A vote for Imam in the forthcoming governorship election is a vote for  Sheriff to continue his eight-year misrule and another opportunity for him to continue to drain the state resources through dubious contracts.

“We must avoid mortgaging the future of their children and generations yet unborn by voting wisely against Sheriff and his agents of backwardness”, the group concluded.