SUNDAY,  NOVEMBER 26 2006

PDP pledges free, fair primaries
By SHEHU MUSA TAHIR

AS primary elections into various positions in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) kicked off last Saturday throughout the country, the party in Kano said it is determined to be fair to all aspirants.
Disclosing this at a briefing in Kano, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Masa’ud el-Jibrin Doguwa, reiterated that they would ensure that the elections are conducted under a free and fair atmosphere.
Alhaji Doguwa explained that even the last primary elections conducted at ward levels, there had not been complaints on the conduct.
He attributed this success to members of the local government chapters of the party as well as members of their caucuses who worked tirelessly to make sure that such a success was recorded.
He expressed the determination to ensure that the party records successes in 2007 general elections in the state.
With the emergence of about 12 gubernatorial aspirants in the party, he assured that there was nothing to fear, adding that “we are a family and we will continue to be a family”.
He told the gathering that those who caused friction within the party had left it, pointing out that now there was no factions in the PDP.
He said the party executives will sit between now and the time of gubernatorial primary elections to make sure that there was concensus and where consensus failed to be reached, he said, there will be primaries.
On his part, the chairman of the Elections Panel Committee, Prince C.A. Haastrup, former deputy governor of Osun state, e