2023: We’ll not accept family, friends as vote canvassers, Bala tells PDP stakeholders

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Samuel Luka, Bauchi

As the 2023 general elections approaches, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has ruled out the usage of family and friends as election canvassers.

The governor stated this while speaking to candidates of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), party leaders and other stakeholders at the government house during the weekend.

He warned that no party leader would be allowed to bring his relations, his kinsmen as canvassers at the polling units for patronage.

“Such has happened to Atiku in 2019 and he lost election, because we gave money and he gave so much money but people took it as a political patronage, we will not do that, we will not commit the same mistake”, the Governor said.

Governor Bala emphasized that those that would be engaged as canvassers are going to be completely devoid of every relation with party leaders except where if such person is confirmed to be better than any other person.

Bala Mohammed also expressed concerns that the elected local government Chairmen are not supporting candidates of the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Governor who noted that the party at the local government level is not doing as expected, however pointed out that, the party is doing well at the state level.

Bala while calling for unity among party members, urged candidates contesting various political offices under the party to work towards a successful outing in 2023.

“We must come together, our elected local government Chairmen are not supporting our candidates as much as I want, we have to do it, that gap should be closed down”, the Governor said.

He enjoined the PDP leaders at the local governments to close ranks with councilors and Chairmen irrespective of their tenure, assuring that they would remain veritable structure of the party and would be respected even after their tenure.

The Governor hinted that the party will adopt one structure in terms of campaigns from the gubernatorial, Senatorial and other elective offices.

Bala warned party members against involvement in the controversy surrounding the party at the national level.

“It’s above us, leave that to me to handle it the way I am handling it as your leader, because certainly we can not afford that, it will have a disparaging consequences on us”, the governor said.

He hinted the possibility of the party having a unified agents at the polling units, adding that there would be consultation from the presidential to the state assembly levels in order to have uniform people as agents.