Sokoto LG polls: PDP Please stay
By Idris Yahaya
The basis of this article is the Gov. Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State’s appeal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rescind its decision of boycotting the forthcoming local government’s polls scheduled for the 21st of this September.
Here are three reasons why PDP in Sokoto should not boycott the forthcoming local council election.
By participating in the election, PDP has a chance to win seats and control some local governments they might win which can help them implement their policies and programnes at the grassroots level. Boycotting the election would mean forfeiting this opportunity.
PDP like all other opposition parties has a responsibility to represent the interests of their constituents, therefore, by participating in the election, they can ensure that their supporters have a voice in local government and can hold the ruling party accountable.
By participating, they demonstrate their commitment to democratic processes and their willingness to engage in constructive competition.
Press Secretary to the governor, Abubakar Bawa, said Gov. Aliyu had appealed to PDP to rescind their decision to boycott the election in a press release he personally signed. Gov. Aliyu made the call while addressing a mammoth crowd of APC supporters from eight local government areas of Sokoto East Senatorial zone who converged on Goronyo for the flagoff of the APC campaign ahead of the forthcoming local government polls in the state.
To convince the PDP aspirants and their supporters, the governor made it clear to them that leaders of Sokoto State Independence Electoral Commission (SIEC) were appointed by the immediate past administration of PDP, and fortunately for the opposition, he did not tamper with that structure.
” I wonder why the PDP is afraid of participating in the polls to be organised by SIEC,” he asked.
Gov. Aliyu to this end, assured the opposition in the state that SIEC under his administration will conduct free, fair and credible local council elections.
On that account, he had met with the Chairman of SIEC and assured him of transparent polls for all parties.
But I, like all the good people of Sokoto, urge the eligible voters to troop out en masse and vote for the APC candidates in order to sustain Gov. Aliyu’s pro-people projects, programmes and policies in the state.
We the stakeholders are well aware that the present administration has done well in all the sectors of the economy.
One of these areas the APC-led administration in the state has got distinction is the disitribution of free fertilizer, pesticides as well as other farm implements as part of practical measures to boost agricultural production in the state.
Gov. Aliyu himself said, “We have installed many solar-powered street lights, constructed many road projects and our workers are getting their salaries from 19th to 20th of every month as against what was obtained during the last administration.”
No wonder the APC leader in the state, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, described politics as a service to the people, and commended Gov. Aliyu for transforming the state within just one year.
“Mr Governor, we are very proud of you, you have touched all the sectors of development in the state, please keep the good work,”Wamakko told Gov. Aliyu, and appealed to the people of the state to continue to support him to deliver more and redeem all APC campaign promises.
The state Deputy Governor, Idris Mohammad Gobir, assured the people of Sokoto East that the present administration is working round the clock to end banditry in the zone.
He is quite right because more measures are being introduced by the state government to make Sokoto safe and secure.
At this juncture, I appeal for more support from well-meaning citizens in that regards.
It is interesting that the government of inclusivity of Gov. Aliyu ensures that its functionaries work as a team. Wherever they go, they move in a team.
The Minister of Water and sanitation, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, lauded the effort of the present administration in delivering the dividends of democracy to every nook and cranny of the state. He assured gov Aliyu of total support of people of the area at all times.
By the forgoing, I boldly said boycotting the forthcoming local council elections despite assurances of transparency by Gov. Aliyu will not bring any good thing to PDP.
By participating, PDP will demonstrate their commitment to democratic processes and their willingness to engage in constructive criticisms.
Idris Yahaya, a commentator on national issues, writes from Abuja, FCT.
