PDP faults Sokoto North senatorial candidate’s withdrawal from race

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State has expressed concern over the withdrawal of its candidate, Ahmed Maccido, from the 2027 senatorial elections. The candidate, a former senator for Sokoto North, announced his decision in a letter dated September 30 to the state party chairman, Hayattu Tafida. Maccido claimed the withdrawal was voluntary and made without any external influence, but Tafida suggested otherwise, stating there were indications of pressure from other political parties.

Despite not offering concrete evidence, Tafida asserted that Maccido remains a significant figure in the political landscape of Sokoto North and Sokoto South, making his withdrawal rather unexpected. The PDP chairman criticized the timing of the decision, arguing that it complicates the party's process of replacing the candidate, as changing a candidate post-primary is a challenging procedure.

Tafida's office stated they would review the situation before forwarding it to the national PDP headquarters for further action. Tafida also played down fears of further defections, asserting that he did not anticipate other PDP candidates following Maccido's example.