*Vow to send Zimbo packing
By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Following a rumour that the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani had anointed a candidate ahead of the state’s local government elections, some stakeholders in Zango Kataf Local Government Area have called on him to clear the air on the purpoted adoption of a candidate.
This was expressed at a press briefing held in Kaduna on Monday August 26, 2024.
The group under the aegis of Concerned Zango Kataf Local Government Citizens For Justice And Inclusion, at the briefing, which text was jointly signed by a former National Coordinator, SOKAPU Youth Wing Comrade Sabastine Bahori Luka as Convener and Co-convener, Comrade Sunday Kasai, insisted that they would vehemently reject imposition.
“We are, however, worried by the rumour going on that Mr.Zimbo breached the agreement and is unapologetic about it because his political godfather and benefactor, Sen. Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung has extracted the commitment of Governor Uba Sani to concede the council chairmanship of the LG to the Senator’s candidate and party at a meeting in France.
“While we do not think that Governor Uba Sani would stoop so low as to making a commitment to “hand over an elective office of the people to the Senator’s candidate in an election that the people’s wishes and not a Senator’s wish should count, we will, nonetheless, not take the rumour with levity.
“We are, therefore, appealing to His Excellency, Sen. Uba Sani, to as a matter of concern come out clean on this matter by warning the peddlers of such lies and mischief against him as well as making a public commitment to stand on the side of the people of Zango Kataf when they will be kicking Mr. Zimbo and his cohorts out of office come 19th October 2024,” the group said.
The group raised the alarm, that Zango Kataf LGA is on the verge of an avoidable political crisis, and there’s a need for patriotic voices to speak out.
“The emergence of Hon. Francis A. Sani, popularly known as Zimbo, as PDP chairmanship candidate for a second consecutive time, despite the existence of a zoning and rotation agreement which bars him from running as council chairman for a second term calls for serious concerns.
“As patriotic citizens, therefore, we cannot fold our arms and watch until the situation degenerates into a full-blown crisis.
“We are, therefore, calling for the unity of all men and women of goodwill within and outside the LGA at this trying time for our dear Zangon Kataf local government,” they said.
The group explained that Mr. Zimbo and his political contractors in Zango Kataf constituency who allegedly collected huge sums of money to go against the established norm of zoning and rotation system in the LG, must be taught a serious lesson by sending him packing and restoring the peace and unity of our people which our founding fathers worked and fought very hard to sustain.
“Indeed, the attempt to hoist Zimbo on us again, is an affront on our collective sensibility, threat to our fragile unity and peace,, destructive to our unity, and disrespectful to our revered elders whose caution against doing so was thrown to the wind.
“We, therefore, want to use this opportunity to salute all the PDP delegates who bravely stood on the side of Truth and Justice by rejecting the rumoured 100,000 to 500,000 Naira largesse offered by Zimbo to delegates willing to sell their votes, and voted for Hon. Ben Bako instead, with a view to sustaining the rotation agreement and ensuring fairness.
“Although they did not succeed at the primary election, the 118 votes that they gave Hon. Bako, which is equivalent to the votes of over 5 wards, speaks volumes.
“We urge them never to feel discouraged or waiver but demonstrate similar commitment during the secondary election by putting our unity first and above party considerations, and thus, vote for the candidates of other political parties that have shown commitment towards justice and fairness,” they said.
They assured that posterity will be kind to them and their generations yet unborn.
They reminded Governor Sani that the people of Zango-Kataf Local Government are grateful and also committed to his administration’s vision of transforming of their rural communities and reuniting the people of the state by partnering with respected and revered elders such as their very own Gen Zamani Lekwot.
” Imposing a Zimbo as Chairman for a second term to please Sen. Katung or fulfil whatever political consideration, therefore, will represent a serious setback in this regard, as well as a dent on the governor’s blossoming image in Zangon Kataf LGA,” they warned.
The group said that on behalf of the majority of their people at home, that the press conference is the beginning of a series of activities geared towards fighting the injustice that Hon. Zimbo and some of their selfish leaders are working hard to enthrone against minority tribes in the LGA, and they are confident that they will succeed.
