From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Ahead of October 19 local government election in Kaduna State, some stakeholders have accused Senator Marshall Sunday Katung (PDP, Kaduna South) of imposing a candidate as the chairman of Zango Kataf Local Government Area.
Addressing newsmen, the convener of the press conference, Sabastine Luka, a former National Coordinator, Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Youth Wing and his co-convener, Sunday Kasai said: “Zango Kataf LGA is on the verge of an avoidable political crisis, and there’s a need for patriotic voices to speak out.”
They alleged that the emergence of Francis A. Sani, popularly known as Zimbo, as the 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, was the handiwork of Senator Katung.
However, two groups, the Zango Kataf Youths Vanguard for Peace and Democracy and the Coalition of Southern Kaduna Youths, have condemned what they called campaign of calumny against the senator representing the region.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna yesterday at a separate press conferences, leader of Zango Kataf Youths Vanguard for Peace and Democracy, Isaac Tanko and the Coordinator of the Coalition, Luke Duniya Augustine, said the negative and unfortunate campaigns against Senator Katung, were personal, selfish and not in the interest of the overall development of Southern Kaduna region.
According to Tanko, “The unintelligent approach by these stakeholders has been to push ethnic divisive words and attribute the same to the Senator of Kaduna-South. Their aim is to incite certain ethnic groups against the Senator. We urge our people to resist these individuals’ attempts to cause chaos in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.
“Some of these divisive statements are not only condemnable but also an ignominy of dragging our local government and the Southern Kaduna region back to the conquered era of ethnic chauvinism.
“Meddling into the politics of Zango-Kataf Local Government Area is clearly the handiwork of some unscrupulous politicians who do not have the interest of our people at heart.
“Again, attacks on Senator Sunday Marshall Katung are an act of sabotage, and we are calling on those behind the mask and others who have decided to continue the path of coming to public glare over frivolous issues to stop forthwith, especially when they do not have the moral compass to do so.
“Any attempt to distort the existing peace between the ethnic indigenous tribes in the Zango-Kataf Local Government Area will be vehemently resisted.
“We urge all candidates to go to nooks and crannies of the Local Government to canvas for votes from the electorates instead of inciting ethnic tension. Our unity must not be traded in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.
“Henceforth, we shall reach out to other stakeholders, the Bajju, Atyap, Anghan and Ikulu, including the Hausa-Fulani from the six wards, to give peace a chance.”
On their part, members of the Coalition of Southern Kaduna Youths said: “We have keenly been following events of the last few months, where some individuals or a group of individuals have decided to launch a campaign of calumny against our respected Senator Katung by trying to smear his name and his hard earned reputation.
“We have decided that we will not sit back and watch insignificant, bitter minded and political businessmen, who have not contributed anything to the development of our dear communities and region to insult, malign and contemptuously keep misrepresenting facts just to get at our senator for their selfish political interest.
“Senator Katung in the last one year has performed far beyond our expectation. He has done what no other senator has done within this short period in the history of Southern Kaduna. We are very much aware of his achievements.
“This is a man who has dedicated his time, energy and resources to improve the lives of our people and the region as a whole. Security has always been one of the major problems confronting us as a people but in the last one year, we have seen how our Senator has effectively collaborated with security agents operating in our region to stabilise the region.
“His regular meetings with the heads of security agencies in the zone and the advantage he took to collaborate with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. C.G. Musa has helped significantly in reducing the number of bandits’ attacks the region experienced before now.
“His prompt response once there is a security challenge in the region is top-notch. He has supported the security agencies with logistics in the last one year. He has equally supported our local vigilante with logistics to continue to watch over our communities.”
The Coalition, however, called on the critics and detractors of Katung to desist and allow him deliver the excellent representation he has started giving to the region.