Zamfara APC primary: Marafa Accuses Gov Yari Of Igniting Violence

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream),  Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa and a gubernatorial aspirant has expressed support to the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), cancelling yesterday’s Governorship primary in Zamfara state.

Marafa  in a statement blamed Governor Abdulaziz Yari over the alleged violence that erupted in some parts of the state during the exercise.

He described  the continuation of the election despite the violence allegedly orchestrated by  Governor Yari and supporters was the height of lawlessness, stupidity and wickedness.

” Yari set the state on fire just to perfect his plot to upturn the people’s will and force his stooge on the party and by extension the state with the sole aim of continuing with his misrule through proxy after May 29, 2019,” Marafa said.

He said the Primary election was postponed thrice and that after an exhaustive meeting with all security agencies, 9 Gov aspirants, INEC and the Committee sent from Abuja on Tuesday,  unanimously agreed that the election should hold Wednesday.

The Lawmaker noted that  shortly after the distribution of election materials, the aspirant agents raised observation that the ballot papers issued to them were not up to 10% of the registered party members in their wards.

Kabir Marafa explained   that the situation compelled  the committee chairman to callfor  an emergency meeting at the office of the Police Commissioner to address the issue.

” In attendance at the meeting was all the aspirants and heads of other security agencies. The chairman called the National chairman of APC Chief Adams Oshiomhole who spoke individually with all the aspirants, in the end all the aspirants agreed that the ballot papers should be set aside and direct method of people queuing behind the candidate of their choice be adopted.

The statement said the National chairman thereafter gave approval that the system be employed.

Senator Marafa explained that the Election went on very fine in many wards and results started coming out but suddenly violence erupted in major towns where  Gov Yari officials  allegedly organize thugs to attack party members especially women.

This , he said compelled  the chairman of the election committee to quickly cancel the election to stop the crisis.

” Hours after the cancellation desperate Gov Yari went on air to announce that election will continue today (Thursday) without even condoling and sympathizing with the families of the deceased and the injured persons,” he said

He appealed to members of the party and the entire people of the state to remain calm, abide by the decision of the national committee and await further announcement