Kaduna PDP stakeholders seek cancellation of Senatorial primaries
Kaduna state Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have petitioned the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, demanding the immediate cancellation of the Senatorial primaries held in Kaduna south.
The primary produced Mr Sunday Marshall Katung as standard bearer.
The petitioners alleged that the exercise was marred with irregularities and financial inducement of delegates.
In a copy of the petition, which was received by the PDP National Chairman on May 31, 2022, the stakeholders alleged that Mr Katung failed to disclose his assets, besides the irregularities in terms of non accreditation of delegates for the election.
In the election result declared by the returning officer, Sabo Babayero, Katung polled 112 out of the 269 votes cast, while Senator Danjuma Laah came second with 74 votes. Shehu Garba got 52 votes, Monday Dikko 21 votes, Adams Jagaba seven votes while Suleiman Dauke and Mark Jacobs got no votes.
They charged the Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC ), to order for a fresh primary or hand over the ticket to the first runner up, Senator Danjuma Laah in order to avoid a repeat of the Zamfara or Bayelsa governorship scenarios. In the petition which was signed by Abdulrasheed Ahmed Dogara, Habila Tadi Norman, Dennis Baba and Suleiman Isah the petitioners also accused Katung of tax evasion.
They attached documents from the Kaduna state Internal Revenue office to show that Mr. Katung misled the revenue agency when he paid N84,000 (Eighty four thousand naira only ) for three years tax clearance instead of N140, 947,115.43 (one hundred and forty million, nine hundred and forty seven thousand, one hundred and fifteen naira, forty three kobo)
The petition read in part, “Mr Katung who was declared winner of the Senatorial primaries has tax issues with KADIRS and was said to be operating 26 bank accounts and requested to pay N140,947,115.43.
“Invariably, the tax clearance (FCT- IRS/TCC/B/199092140) issued on April 11, 2022, to him by FCT-IRS, an assessment to pay N84,000 and used in the submission of expression of interest form to our great party is very questionable.
“Our concern bothers on his suitability as candidate in the forthcoming election given his tax status.
“This seems to us as bananas peel lying in a wall to rob our great party of candidacy in the forthcoming Senatorial election in Kaduna state.
“The event of the last governorship election in Zamfara state is still very much fresh in our memories on where our party from it. But this time around the reverse could just be the case .”
