Concerned elders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State have kicked against the wrongful substitution of Alhaji Gambo Lawan as the party’s governorship candidate for Borno State in the 2015 election.

Lawan, who is former Chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) and ex-Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, has picked the party’s governorship ticket at a process in Abuja supervised by President Goodluck Jonathan following his intervention to resolve the lingering disagreement over the PDP’s governorship ticket in the state.

The former GDM chairman and founding leader of PDP in the state was affirmed by the party’s delegates and a Certificate of Return issued to him after the election.

In attendance during the primary election were Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, Borno State PDP Chairman, Minister of State for Power Muhammed Wakil, and BoT members and other stakeholders from the state.

But on the eve of the submission of parties’ governorship flag bearers to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Lawan’s name was, however, substituted by the PDP National Chairman with that of Mohammed Imam, a nominee of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

In an open letter to President Jonathan dated December 26, 2014, the PDP stakeholders called for a reversal of the wrongful substitution in the interest of justice and fair play.

The petition was signed by Honourables Aminu Yakudima, Ibrahim Abatcha and Salisu Aliyu.

Speaking on the process that produced Lawan, they said: “The process and composition of the people present is first of its kind in the history of our great party, which Your Excellency described as the Supreme Court of the party whose decision is final. You may wish to recall further that Gambo Lawan having emerged from the old PDP as the candidate, you directed the new entrants to the party to nominate the candidate for the Deputy Governor.

“It is disheartening to note that 14 days after the nomination and affirmation of Gambo Lawan as the candidate, he was wrongly and illegally substituted with Mohammed Imam on the eve of the closure for the submission of the governorship nominees to INEC.”