The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna coalition group for Hon Isa Ashiru governorship ambition have thrown their weight behind Labour Party, LP, candidate, Jonathan Asake.
Newsonline reports that the coalition of supporters said their decision to pitch tent with Asake was for fairness and equity.
The coalition said it will be an injustice to the people of Southern Kaduna if not giving the chance to govern the state come 2023.
The coalition made up of “Ashiru/Katung Youth Vanguard; Sarkin Bai Southern Kaduna Support Group, Ashiru/Katung Mobilisation Network” further called on the PDP governorship candidate to withdraw from the contest and support Asake to ensure equity in the state.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Coalition, Joel Garba and Gideon Sardauna respectively, and released in Kaduna on Friday, the support groups said while It is the constitutional right of Ashiru to contest, but will be morally unjust not to give and support the people of Southern Kaduna the chance to govern the state.
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The statement partly read, “A Coalition of Support Groups of Honourable Isah Ashiru Kudan in Kaduna State in the 2019 General Election has advised him to pull out of the 2023 election contest and support Honourable Jonathan Asake, the President of Southern Kaduna People’s Union, SOKAPU, who is the Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) from Southern Part of the State.
“The coalition is made up of Ashiru/Katung Youth Vanguard; Sarkin Bai Southern Kaduna Support Group, Ashiru/Katung Mobilisation Network among others.
“It is the constitutional right of Ashiru to contest, but will be morally unjust for Zone One (Northern Kaduna )that has held unto power for over 10 years out of the 23 years since the Military returned power to civilians, thereby leaving Zone Two (Kaduna Central) and Three (Southern Kaduna) to share the remaining 13 years out of which Zone Three governed for barely two years; it is, therefore, fair and just for Zone Three Candidate to emerge as the governor in 2023.
“We recognize the fact that there is candidate across various parties but our call for Ashiru to back out and support Asake is based on the fact that we worked for him in 2019, and was disappointed that he couldn’t win his own Kudan Local Government, and as it stands today, nothing much has changed. Therefore, the need for someone from Zone three to try his luck.
“Asake is the leader of Southern Kaduna People that are spread across at least 14 Local Government Areas with a population not less than 4.5 million persons and a voting strength of almost 2 million.
“He is also an experienced politician who served as a Member of the House of Representatives, Interim Management Committee Chairman of the Zangon Kataf LGA, a former Lecturer among others which make him more than competent to lead the state.”