The Peoples Democratic Party Advisory Council in Katsina has called for the intervention of the National Working Committee (NWC) in addressing the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

Ibrahim Tafashiya, a member of the PDP Caretaker Committee in Katsina, made the appeal at a news conference on the party’s affairs in the state on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Tafashiya also urged the party leaders to intervene in the alleged denial of party members’ access to purchase nomination forms for the upcoming PDP congress in the state.

He said that a delegation of some aspirants from Katsina, Dutsinma, Malumfashi, Funtua, Mashi, Kankia and Katsina LGAs were at the state party secretariat to purchase forms, but no party official attended them.

According to Mr Tafashiya, this made the aspirants accuse the committee of a plan to hijack the forms to favour one individual and avoid selling them to other aspirants.

“We have collated about 7,101 members willing to purchase the forms, so as to participate in the upcoming congresses but have been deprived access to purchase the forms.

“We are here at the national headquarters only to be informed that the forms were with the caretaker committee chairman about three weeks ago.

“We are therefore appealing for the intervention of the NWC to resolve the matter for the progress, development and success of the PDP,’’ he said.

He said he was in Abuja at the PDP national secretariat to purchase the forms but could not meet anybody, hence the need to call for appropriate, proper action on the matter.

Mr Tafashiya also alleged a disconnect between some members of the caretaker committee and the chairman, Musa Karim. He said that the state chapter of the party was in jeopardy because the caretaker committee leadership mismanaged its affairs.

He said that since the release of the timetable and guidelines for the 2024 ward, local government and state congresses should have implemented certain proactive procedural measures for the exercise to be successful, but nothing has been done.

He said that the caretaker committee chairman did nothing to reconcile the divisions within the PDP in Katsina. He said that the first activity preceding congress to elect party officials was always a membership drive and an update of the membership register before the sales of forms.

He stressed that this was not done “even at this time.”

He added, “Specifically, these issues relate to the 361 wards, 34 local governments, and 39 state Exco aspirants for Katsina state.”

Therefore, Mr Tafashiya urged the PDP’s NWC to take immediate drastic measures to resolve the crises. He also urged the party’s national leaders to ensure that due process was followed in selling the forms.

(NAN)