Billy Graham Abel, Yola
Adamawa State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with all its nine senatorial aspirants in the state to outlaw thuggery activity including the use of abusive languages, inciting ethnic or religious narratives and the wielding of knives, machete, and other dangerous weapons during campaigns in the state.
The signing of the MOU according to the party’s chairman, Tahir Shehu, is meant to provide a code of conduct for aspirants in order to avoid overheating the already volatile security situation in the state and to help aspirants conduct their activities in line with the party’s constitutions in view of the primaries elections to be held within September and October.
The state chairman of the party, said the aim of the MOU is to place the interest of the state and country above that of the individuals.
READ ALSO Benue: Five killed, another injured in Benue village attack
He said politics is about people and no politician should do anything to endanger the lives of people they claim to vying for office to help.
Tahir Shehu admonished the aspirants saying the, “Overall aim of any political activity is to win elections and for the party to claim it’s mandate in the state.
The memorandum prescribed that, “No aspirant shall resort to inflammatory languages or images based on religion or ethnicity.
The memorandum further prohibited, “Aspirants, their wards or supporters from using knives, clubs, machetes and any other weapon during campaigns.
“The MOU put forward that, “All aspirants shall treat each other with respect and in line with the conduct of the party’s constitutions.”
He notes that security agencies in the state have commended the conduct of the aspirants of PDP in the state.
One of the aspirants, Binos Dauda Yero who is running for the senatorial seat of the Adamawa southern zone said, “I was a victim of impunity in the party in 2014 and this MOU is a very important step towards reassuring all aspirants about the commitment of the party to provide a level playing ground for all aspirants.
“The MOU would strengthen unity and harmony in the party and I am ready to work with whoever emerges as the party’s candidates.”
Speaking at the occasion, one of the aspirants at the event, Mohammed Chubado Modibbo who is running for the senatorial seat of Adamawa central said, “The MOU was not only designed to ban thuggery but also to prevent vote buying.”
He argued that, “The impunity experienced in the party in 2014 was not a character of the party but of the people that infiltrated the party then.
“PDP is not a party of impunity because impunity is not about a party but people.
“The people that threatened the survival of our party with impunity, are all now in APC.”
Chubado Modibbo said, he is ready to comply with the position of the party on anything that would bring the party success and peace in the state.
He said, most of the aspirants in the state are in contact with each and that they are mindful of the security challenges of the state and their aspiration would not complicate the security situation in the state.
The aspirants in unison endorsed the leadership of the party in the state and commended the initiative and position of the party.
As a result of the MOU, the party would collaborate with all directors of operations of the aspirants to ensure a violent and thug free campaigns.