Senator presenting Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Lawal Adamu Usman, has mocked the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani for allegedly renting a crowd for the zonal rally held in Kafanchan for the formal defection of prominent politicians from opposition political parties.
The rally which was well publicised and witnessed by a large turn out of people, was however, reportedly shunned by the former governor of the state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, and some other expected top politicians across the state.
The APC had boasted that the rally was going to be one the of biggest in political history of the state.
In his reaction, Senator Lawal, who was elected under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, mocked the rally as a ‘rented crowd’ which Governor Uba Sani embarked as a face saving for the lack of support by the people.
The lawmaker believed that supporters who turned out for the rally on Friday were not organic and challenged the governor to conduct an election within the state to test his popularity.
In a post on his facebook wall on Saturday, Senator Lawal wrote: “APC is like Papalolo in Kaduna State. If you truly knew you had the support of your rented crowd, why didn’t you allow the conduct of election in at least one ward within the state.
“Even the governor could not cast his vote at his polling station during the time.”
But in a statement issued on Saturday by the spokesperson of the state governor, Ibrahim Musa, said, political stalwarts from the three Senatorial Districts of Kaduna turned out in their numbers to reinforce their confidence in Governor Uba Sani-led administration.
Musa pointed out that defectors to the ruling party include serving and former federal legislators, members of the state House of Assembly, former council chairpersons, state party chairpersons and flag bearers of opposition parties,
The statement reads in parts: “Governor Uba Sani has received over 22 political heavyweights from the opposition parties and their supporters, at the All Progressives Party, APC, zonal rally which was held at Kafanchan on Friday.
“The event which was held at New Choice Hall, was witnessed by thousands of APC supporters from Southern Kaduna and political stalwarts from across the state, who passed a vote of confidence on the Uba Sani administration.”
