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From John Adams, Minna
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Niger state may have settled for a Consensus governorship candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state following the endorsement of a former Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Alhaji Isah Liman Kantigi as the party choice.
Kantigi’s endorsement for the position follows the outcome of stakeholders meeting in the Niger South senatorial district where the party had zoned governorship of the state to where he was Unanimously picked ahead of other Aspirants.
The endorsement of Isah Kantigi at a meeting held in Bida has now put paid to the gubernatorial aspirations of former Minister of Sports Mr Abdulraham Gimba, a former Secretary to the State Government Mr Ndako Kpaki, a former member of the House of Representatives Alhaji Sani Kutigi as well as a former Director in the Directorate of Petroleum Resources DPR Mr Isah Jankara.
It was gathered that all the aspirants were in attendance where the report of the zoning committee was presented to the leadership of the party in the state and “They all supported the outcome of the meeting”.
It was further gathered that the report of the committee had earlier been presented to some of the leaders of the party in the zone among them former Information Minister Professor Jerry Gana and a member of the PDP BOT, Senator Zaynab Kure.
According to the findings the former Director of the DPR Mr Jankara who only recently picked the governorship expression of interest and nomination forms was disqualified because his Lapai emirate had produced the governor of the state for eight years in the person of Late Governor Abdulkhadir Kure.
All the other aspirants and leaders of the party form the two other zones were reported to have also backed the decision endorsing Isah Kantigi but Mr Sani Kutigi was said to have later turned round to express his rejection of the decision.
According to a source close to the meeting told our correspondent that the leadership of the PDP in the state told him categorically that their decisions stands but that if he (Sani Kutigi) wants to waste his money he could go ahead and purchase the form.
Efforts to get the state Chairman of the party Mr Tanko Beji to comment on the issue was abortive but a member of the State Executive Council confirmed it on condition of anonymity.
