Expulsion: I remain undaunted says Abubakar Ibrahim

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

The first runner up in last year People’s Democratic Party, PDP gubernatorial primary in Kogi State has said he remains undaunted in his membership of the party and his pursuits in the courts. He was reacting to news of his alleged expulsion from the party by the EXCO of his Icheke ward in Omala Local Government.

A statement by his media team said he was not given fair hearing and that the charges brought against him were intended to ridicule his profile as they were completely untrue. He explained that he has never been involved in any antiparty activity. He however said he cannot be arm twisted to abandone his search for justice.

The grounds for the expulsion are summarised as ‘anti-party activities.’ The group is unhappy that Abubakar went to court over the outcome of the primaries. They also found him guilty of not attending meetings and not contributing to the finances of the party. The aspirant denied all the allegations. Hear him:

“Of course these allegations are not only completely untrue but a clear case of an attempt to give dog a bad name in order to make it fit for the slaughter slab. It is the height of political voodooism, brigandage and oppressive impunity.

“The claim by Idakwoji and his cohorts that Abubakar went to court over the controversial Sept. 3rd Primary at the Confluence Stadium without first exploring other internal peaceful party mechanism is not true. By nature, Abubakar is a peaceful team player who plays by the rules. Before he went to the temple of Justice he had petitioned the party voicing his dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, the party did not respond to his petition. He followed up with reminders, which the party also ignored.

“These triple frustrations left the aspirant with no choice but going to court to test the validity of the primary election. Having gone this far, Abubakar is determined to pursue this case to the end. No amount of arm twisting will abduct him from the path of Justice. Since when has dissatisfaction with a shrouded electoral process become a ground for expulsion in the PDP? The truth shall prevail and those who are scared should do the needful by relinquishing the stolen mandate.

“Certainly, Abubakar’s decision to pursue his case constitutionally does not amount to an anti-party activity. You cannot beat a child and stop him from crying.

The statement said the last two allegations about attending meetings and financial contributions are at best frivolous and distractive.

“We make bold to say that it is unlikely that any of the participants in the infamous expulsion plot in Icheke has attended more PDP meetings or made more financial contributions to the overall progress of the party than ‘the object of their persecution.’ Without doubts, Abubakar is a financial member of the PDP. If he were not, he wouldn’t have scaled and passed the tedious screening exercise that cleared him to stand in the gubernatorial primaries.

“What is apparent in the whole plot from conception to execution thus far is the constant theme of ridicule. Aside snippets of information he got from the social media, Abubakar never received any written communication or invitation from the committee. He was not given fair hearing. The committee played the role of a petitioner and a judge at one and the same time.

“Abubakar remains in high spirits and undaunted over his membership of the PDP and his pursuits in the court. He urges his teeming supporters to remain calm and await further instructions as he is still studying the situation.