By Fanen Ihyongo, Kano 

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Wali, on Sunday launched an appeal fund to raise money and field candidates in the local government council election scheduled for January 16.

The decision by the Wali faction to contest the council poll comes a few days after the Kwankwasiyya faction, led by former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, dramatically announced that it would not participate in the election because it had no confidence in the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC).

In preparation for the election, the Wali factional PDP on Sunday launched a fund raising appeal at Wali’s Kano home.

The opposition party said the funds gathered would be used to buy nomination forms for its candidates across the 44 councils and as well do a vigorous campaign during the build up to the election.

Read Also: Kano PDP crisis deepens over council poll

The party had lamented the high cost of forms and pleaded with KANSIEC to reduce the price, but the state electoral umpire refused, it was learnt.

The KANSIEC form for councillor seat goes for N150,000, while that of chairman is sold for N250,000.

Muhammina Bako Lamido, the acclaimed interim chairman of PDP in Kano, said the aim of the fundraising was to enable the party partake in the council election and show that “the party’s flag is still flying high in the second most populous state in the country.”

Former Chief Whip Senator Bello Hayatu called on the party stalwarts to come out en masse on the election day and vote for PDP candidates.

He warned KANSIEC against rigging, saying: “We will not condone any form of rigging and we stand to challenge it anywhere.”

Aminu Baba Danbaffa launched the fundraising with N5million, Sen Hayatu donated N5 million, Association of Former Lawmakers under the PDP donated N1.5 million, the interim chairmen for the 44 local government chapters donated N11 million, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Sadiq Wali, donated N2 million, while Amb. Wali with his co-elders donated N10.5 million, among other donations.