Kaduna: ‘I’m not done,’ PDP’s Ashiru speaks on S’Court ruling

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 18, 2023 Governorship election in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, says he will not quit politics despite the Supreme Court’s verdict that affirmed the election of Governor Uba Sani. 

Ashiru stated this at a media briefing in Kaduna on Monday, following the Supreme Court’s judgment.

He also urged the governor well in piloting the affairs of the state saying, “I will accept a hand of fellowship if that is his wish.”

Recall that the Court of Appeal in Abuja had, on November 24, 2023, in a unanimous judgment, affirmed the election of Uba Sani as Kaduna State governor.

The PDP and Ashiru challenged the outcome of the governorship election, alleging that Uba was not duly elected by a majority of valid votes cast in the election.

They added that the election was invalid because of alleged corrupt practices and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

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However, on Friday, the apex court dismissed the appeal by the PDP and its governorship candidate, Mohammed Ashiru Isa.

But the PDP governorship candidate said he had taken the Supreme Court’s verdict in good faith, while maintaining that he never lost the 2023 governorship election in the state.

Ashiru, a former House of Representatives member, had contested governorship in 2019 but lost out.

Despite these, Ashiru said he would not quit the stage, noting that  for him, politics is not about him but the good people of the state (Kaduna).

He called his supporters to take the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment in good faith and move on, urging them to be law-abiding and co-habit peacefully with other citizens in respect of their political leanings.

He said, “As far as I’m concerned, I have not lost an election. The good people of Kaduna State voted for me but we had hiccups along the road.

“That was why we took the judicial process to make sure we got our mandate back. But as God would have it, He has done His own way and I accepted it in good faith.

“In politics whoever, that told you he’s done, that person is too selfish. I am in politics not about myself but the good people of Kaduna State. I am on and I will continue.”

Ashiru also called on the supporters to come out enmass to cast their votes for the PDP during the forthcoming by-election scheduled to hold on February 3, 2024 by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“I just left the party’s secretariat  where I met stakeholders and I urged them to be law-abiding and to let’s continue because we are in politics not for ourselves but our state, given the opportunity.

“Now that this has happened, we will not be deterred. We still have a by-election on February 3, 2024 and we urged all our supporters to come out and vote. Ours is peaceful co-existence and nothing more. We wish him well,” he added.