By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
LEADER of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Sokoto state and Chairman, Northern Senators Forum(NSF), Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, at the weekend cautioned traditional rulers in the state against being used by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) to become partisan .
He said ” such can be quite inimical and unhealthy against their noble role as custodians of respect, values and morals of their subjects and society in general.
” All these features can be affected and lost by any traditional ruler who meddles and allowed himself to be dragged by any guise into partisanship”, Wamakko stressed with concern.
Senator Wamakko, made the remark with warning at the flag off of the party’s campaigns in Kebbe and Shagari towns, headquarters of Kebbe and Shagari Local Governments of the State.
The lawmaker who represents Sokoto North senatorial District in the National Assembly senate recalled that ” when I was elected as a Governor in 2007, I met the salaries of the District Heads as N 8,000, per month, but I increased to about N 100,000.
” But now they are being given N200,000, to get wooed to participate in politics. This is very wrong .
” The traditional rulers are supposed to be Fathers to all , including the leaders and members of the various political parties, as such, they should never be partisan .”
Senator Wamakko further recalled how during his administration he greatly assisted traders , farmers and other categories of citizens of the state.
The former Governor of the state promised that , the same unparalleled feat would be replicated , if the APC Gubernatorial Candidate, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Sokoto and his running mate, Alhaji Faruku Malami Yabo, were eventually elected during the forthcoming general elections.
He urged , ” the entire people of the State should therefore come out, en masse and elect the party’s candidates, at all levels, during the polls .”
Meanwhile ,Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko again condoled the people of Shagari Local Government over the recent death of the second republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and described his demise as a great loss to the entire country.
The Sarkin Yamman prayed the Almighty Allah to grant him eternal rest and for Him to grant the family formidable fortitude to bear the irreparable loss .
In the same vein, the lawmaker extended the sincere appreciation of President Muhammadu Buhari, to the people of the state for the warmest reception he was accorded , as well as his entourage, during his recent visit to the state, to flag his re-election campaign.
The Chairman and Director -General of the State Campaign Council, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi and Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, former Minister of Transport, respectively, said the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), in the state is dead .
The duo appealed to the people in the state to translate the undying love they have for the party into colossal votes, during the forthcoming polls.
The State Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Isa Sadiq Achida, called on the people of the state to challenge the PDP to showcase their achievements in the last four years, rather than blackmail , as well as campaign of calumny against the APC.
The Deputy Gubernatorial Candidate, Alhaji Faruku Malami Yabo, promised to strive to by God’s willing, follow the footsteps of Senator Wamakko, when finally elected.
The highlight of the ceremony was the defection of no fewer than 8,850 former members of the PDP from Kebbe and Shagari Local Governments, to the APC.
Prominent among them were the former Chairman of Shagari Local Government, Alhaji Nasiru Habibu Shagari, a former Vice Chairman in the area, Alhaji Muhammad Tubal and a former Education Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Shagari, among others .
