2015: Tafawa Balewa’s son to drag PDP to court over presidential forms
AHEAD of December 6 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where President Goodluck Jonathan, the sole presidential candidate of the party for the 2015 Presidential election would br ratified, son of Nigeria’s late prime minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr Abdul Jelil who was denied the Presidential forms has vowed to drag the leadership of the party to court to seek redress.
Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Abdul Jelil Balewa who boasted that the party cannot expel him because of insistence that he would contest the party’s presidential primary election inspite of PDP’s endorsement of President Jonathan as the sole candidate, however stressed that he has been a PDP member since 1998, adding that things cannot be done with impunity.
The aspirant said that he would also petition the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu for locking him out of the race with excuses that the party printed only one Presidential nomination form because of the decision of the party to endorse Jonathan at the 66 th National Executive Committee, NEC meeting.
Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa
He said, “ it is most unfortunate that PDP which is the largest political party in Africa had to descend so low to deny one the right to vote or be voted for. I went to PDP secretariat to pick forms and they decided to run in a circle. I saw the Treasurer, the Financial Secretary, I want that ticket because I know I have a lot to offer Nigeria. My team is ready to work immediately.
“I will not leave this party, I will do everything that is in the constitution, I have started the process of ensuring that I get justice; I will send a petition to the national Secretariat.”
On whether he would go to Court, he said, “I will do everything within the law to ensure that I contest.”
On whether if he is expelled, he said, “ we must be careful with what we are doing, the world is watching the party, the party must be careful, things cannot be done with impunity any more. “ It would be recalled that attempt by Balewa to purchase his expression of interest and nomination forms to challenge the decision of the National Executive Committee, NEC to participate in the Presidential primary election was frustrated on Tuesday as he was asked to come back on Wednesday or Thursday.
Jelil Tafawa Balewa paid the mandatory N2 million for expression of interest and N22 million for Nomination form totally, N22 million, but could not get the forms.
Also recalled that the PDP had on Tuesday denied another presidential aspirant, Mrs Zainab Duke- Abiola opportunity of purchasing the forms to contest the Presidential election.
Zainab Duke- Abiola, is wife of acclaimed winner of the 1993 Presidential election, late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
According to Mrs Abiola, she paid N2million as a female aspirant and that she was in the race because this was a democratic dispensation, just as she said that it not a question of insisting, adding, “I have receipt from PDP. The consequences is that you are given what you paid for I asked and they told me they printed just one nomination form.
I haven’t seen where it is written that PDP should print one form National Organizing Secretary and the national chairman told me. I asked for the only form printed, but they said you know who the form was printed for and I said I don’t know. It’s a representation of fact and figure and I’m not asking for my money back. Every four years, there’s vacancy in Aso Rock. The constitution guarantees inalienable rights and no one can stop me. “
It would be recalled that NEC had at its 66th NEC meeting endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s sole Presidential candidate of the party whose candidature would be ratified at the December 6 National Convention.
The party had also said after the endorsement that all law abiding members of the party must adhere strictly to the decision of PDP by not picking presidential nomination forms to kick against the decision of the organs of the party.
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