By Onuminya Innocent In Sokoto
Former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State Ahmad Aliyu has emerged as the standard bearer of All Progressive Congress in Sokoto State for 2023 governorship election.
He polled 1080 votes to defeat seven other candidates in the primary conducted at the party secretariat, Sokoto.
Announcing the results Friday, the returning officer Alhaji Aliyu Kyari said with the power conferred on him as the chairman of the electoral committee of the APC governorship primary in sokoto, “I declare Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto as the winner having scored the highest lawful votes.”
Senator Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir who came a distant second scored 36 votes. Others are Farouk Yabo, 27 votes; former Minister of Transportation during President Goodluck Jonathan regime, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, scored 16 votes; Abubakar Gumbi 1 vote; and Abubakar Gada zero vote. Earlier, the member representing Illela/Gwadabawa Federal constituency, Dr Balarabe Salame, and Umar Garba Takonyo boycotted the exercise.
Kyari thanked all the aspirants for demonstrating the spirit of sportsmanship stressing that the election is hitch free and devoid of rancour.
He appealed to all aspirants to close rank to ensure that APC reclaims the state.
In his acceptance speech, Aliyu called on his co-contestants to see the results as the will of God, saying there is need to come together inorder to win in the general election.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and national chairman Abdullahi Adamu for giving all the aspirants a level playground, saying the election was free and fair.
He also thanked the leader of the party in the state, Sen Aliyu Wamakko, for his role in making the party strong in the state.
He applauded the delegates who have confidence in him, reiterating that if given the mandate in 2023, he will not betray the confidence reposed in him.
On his part, Sen Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir congratulated Ahmad Aliyu, saying power come from God.
Gobir noted that he had accepted the results and teamwd up with winner to ensure APC becomes victorious.
Before now, the other aspirants, like Ambassador Farouk Yabo, Yusuf Suleiman, Abubakar Gada, Balarabe Salame, Abubakar Gumbi, andSen Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir formed G-6 to ensure they defeated Aliyu, the annointed candidate of Sen Wamakko.
Aliyu will slug it out with Sa’adu Umar of the Peoples Democratic party and candidates from other political parties in the general election.
