The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State has suspended two of its governorship aspirants, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry, for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities. This decision was made during an emergency joint meeting of the State Working Committee and ward executives of Dawaki and Herwagana, the respective wards of Mailantarki and Garry. The party accused them of gross misconduct and violating its constitution.
According to the party's statement, signed by State Publicity Secretary Abdulkadir Ahmed Dukku, Mailantarki and Garry had voluntarily accepted to participate in the fresh governorship primary but later engaged in activities that contravened the party's rules and regulations. The suspension is for a duration of one month, and the matter has been referred to the party's Disciplinary Committee.
The development occurred a day after the PDP conducted a fresh governorship primary in the state, following a Federal High Court judgment that nullified its earlier primary and ordered a fresh exercise. Before the rerun, the PDP had cleared Mailantarki, Garry, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, to participate in the primary.
The party specifically cited Mailantarki's declaration in a media interview that he had won the September 29 primary, describing the statement as unacceptable. Mailantarki subsequently rejected the result and challenged Pantami's eligibility to participate in the exercise, saying he considered himself the legitimate winner. He also indicated that he was prepared to pursue the matter through the courts.
In the rerun, Pantami was declared the winner, polling 2,054 votes, while Mailantarki scored 389 and Garry 112 votes. The PDP's latest statement did not announce any further sanction against Mailantarki or Garry beyond the one-month suspension and referral of the matter to the party's Disciplinary Committee.
The suspension of Mailantarki and Garry is a significant development in the Gombe State PDP, as it may impact the party's chances in the upcoming governorship election. The party's decision to suspend the two aspirants has been seen as a move to maintain party discipline and ensure a smooth transition of power.
The incident has also raised concerns about the level of infighting within the PDP in Gombe State, which could potentially affect the party's performance in the election. The party's leadership will need to address the underlying issues to ensure that the suspension of Mailantarki and Garry does not lead to further divisions within the party.
Key points
- The PDP in Gombe State suspended two governorship aspirants, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry, over alleged anti-party activities.
- The suspension was for a duration of one month, and the matter has been referred to the party's Disciplinary Committee.
- The development occurred ahead of the governorship election in Gombe State, and may impact the party's chances in the election.
