Controversy Trails APC National, State Assembly Primaries in Bauchi

Controversy Trails APC National, State Assembly Primaries in Bauchi

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi 

Controversy has continued to trail the conduct and results of  the National Assembly and State House of Assembly primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State. 

This is coming as Governor Mohammed Abubakar has commended the perseverance and sportsmanship of all aspirants gunning for legislative offices at the state and federal levels on the platform of APC and sued for calm.  

Aggrieved aspirants in the state had alleged that there was no election held in most areas where APC declared results, while violence was also recorded in most parts, among others electoral illegalities. 

THISDAY checks revealed that the controversy followed the release of results of the primaries by the Chairman of the  Electoral Committee in the state, Professor Bakori Muhammad who gave the names of candidates who emerged winner of the election, but the number of votes were not made public in the list 

The list contained names of candidates for three senatorial positions, 12 House of Representatives positions and 30 state House of Assembly positions. 

However, in a swift reaction to the development, a group known as the Bauchi State Good Governance Link has raised the alarm over the National Asssembly result released, saying that there was no conduct of the APC senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly primaries. 

The Secretary General of the Organisation, Hamza Jafar who spoke to journalists in Bauchi expressed dissatisfaction over the inability of President Muhammad Buhari to intervene in the controversial primaries in Bauchi State. 

“Considering the irregularities experienced during the conduct of the APC primary elections in the state, there is need for the President to intervene to ensure equal treatment to all the states.

 

“We are appealing to President Buhari to find a lasting solution to the issue of the non conduct of the election in the Bauchi state due to the massive support given to him by the people of the state. This trend is unhealthy for our democratic system of government and must be addressed by the National leadership of the party,” Jafar said.

 

Also in a swift reaction, a supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari in Bauchi State, Alhaji Ali Saidu said the group rather than accusing the President,  should tender their complaints to appropriate authorities. 

 

“The reason why the president has remained neutral and silent to the issues of  electoral irregularities and intimidation experienced during the conduct of APC primary election is due to his respect for the party by not interfering in election matters which has a committee charged with the responsibility of resolving such complaints in the party” he said .

 

Meanwhile, Governor Abubakar has commended the perseverance and sportsmanship of all aspirants gunning for legislative offices at the state and federal levels on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) and sued for calm. 

He urged them to exercise patience as he plans to meet with all of them as soon as soon as he returns from Abuja. “I am meeting with all the aspirants as soon as I am through with state duties here in Abuja. I seize this opportunity to commend the aspirants for their perseverance  and calm since the exercise started” 

 

According to a Press statement signed by Ali M Ali, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, “The Governor once again commended members of the APC for the massive support given to him during the conduct of the direct gubernatorial primary election held in the state and nationwide recently”. 

 

He particularly commended the peaceful manner they went about the exercise and urged them to remain steadfast.

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