The Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday read the riot acts to its governorship aspirants, warning that any of them who destroys the campaign materials of their opponents or intimidate another would be disqualified and banned.
The PDP Chairman in the state, Chief Yanana Iliya, gave the warning while fielding questions from reporters shortly after meeting with the governorship aspirants at the party secretariat in Lafia, the state capital.
According to Iliya: “Any aspirant who goes about with thugs destroying billboards and other campaign materials belonging to opponents or intimidating other opponents would be disqualified.”
The meeting with the aspirants, the chairman pointed out, was aimed at ensuring the emergence of a consensus candidate amongst the various aspirants contesting for office of the governor in the state on the platform of the party.
He disclosed that all the governorship aspirants have agreed to cooperate and work tirelessly with the leadership of the party in the state with a view to reaching consensus.
Iliya revealed that 13 people have so far expressed interest in contesting for the governorship position in 2015.
He expressed the optimism that a consensus candidate would emerge before the November primaries.
The chairman said that the consensus move initiated by the leadership of the party in the state has started yielding positive results as consensus has been achieved in three Assembly constituencies of Nasarawa State.
He listed them as Eggon West, Toto/Gadabuke and Awe.
His words: “We have just finished a meeting with the 13 governorship aspirants and all of them have promised to work tirelessly with us to see that a consensus candidate emerges.
“They all agreed that none of them will pick nomination form until a consensus candidate emerges.”
Iliya however berated the state Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, for not curtailing insurgency in the state.
He appealed to the Federal Government to intervene to save the state from unbearable security challenges bedeviling the state.
He said: “I am calling on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to intervene in the insurgency activities in Nasarawa State.
“This is how Boko Haram started and it has become an international issue.”