Niger poll: Group urges INEC to disqualify PDP gov candidate
A group under the aegis of Concerned Niger Youths on Thursday threatened to resist the attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party to foist a candidate with questionable public standing as its governorship flag bearer ahead of Saturday’s election.
The group called on Independent National Electoral Commission to disqualify the politician over his trial in an alleged money laundering case.
It noted that having been indicted by the court over allegations of money laundering and related sharp practices, the PDP candidate, Liman Isah Kantigi, could not aspire to govern the state he so brazenly wronged.
The development is coming 24 hours to the rescheduled Governorship and House of Assembly Election in the state.
Recall that The Press reported on February 15 how Kantigi issued a death threat to prospective voters who had the intention to collect his money without voting for him in the general election.
The governorship candidate made the threat while addressing his supporters in a viral video.
In the 25 seconds viral video that trended on social media, the Niger PDP candidate, who was dressed in a white long dress and a cap to match, was captured telling his supporters in English and Hausa languages that dire consequences awaited anyone who betrayed him at the poll.
While describing himself as a generous man who looked out for others, Kantigi warned that those who would collect his money without reciprocating with votes would be plagued with nightmares and cold and would eventually die.
A statement issued in Abuja by the coordinator of Concerned Niger Youths, Ndagi Lemu, wondered why the PDP would field such a person as candidate for the state’s number one office despite knowing the enormity of his indictment.
The group drew attention to the Federal High Court ruling which indicted the governorship candidate for offences related to money laundering.
He noted that an attempt by Kantagi to reverse the judgment of the lower court at the appeal court was dismissed in February 2022.
“We therefore call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to disqualify him from the governorship poll on Saturday based on his indictment by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“We also urge the security agencies to do the needful by ensuring that Kantagi is punished for his alleged crimes against the people he is now aspiring to rule over. We are calling on all Nigerlites to rise up against looters of our commonwealth by ensuring that they don’t come near public offices to repeat such acts. We can’t have indicted character as governor of our state,” Lemu said.
