Sen. 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.
source: thenationonlineng.net/count-supporters-apc-zamfara-rally-marafa/
