Mandiya Debunks Alleged Plan to Dump APC

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The senator representing Katsina South in the Senate, Bello Mandiya, Saturday morning, debunked reports that he is planning to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for another political party.

Mandiya, who was reacting to an online media report that he and other APC serving senators were planning to join a speculated coalition against the party, said there was no iota of truth in the publication.

A media outlet had claimed that the senator was among the 12 senators who had indicated interest to dump the APC in order to join forces with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to sack President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity.

But Mandiya, while describing the report in an exclusive interview with THISDAY as an imagination of the writer, said no amount of intimidation, blackmail and campaign of calumny would make him leave the party he laboured to build for another one. 

He said: “An online platform called THE WHISTLER made a publication that I am among the 12 senators who have served a notice to the Senate President Ahmed Lawan indicating interest to leave our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“l was never part of any meeting where such was discussed. I have never discussed that with anybody. I remain in the APC and l will continue to support our presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and hopefully we will win our elections in 2023.”

He, however, said he would not surrender to the whims and caprices of some APC chieftains in Katsina State whom he described as anti-democratic elements to abandon the ruling APC for any opposition party.

The senator added that despite efforts by the state’s APC bigwigs to truncate his political career, he would support the state governorship candidate, Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, and other candidates of the party within and outside the state to win the forthcoming general election.

According to him, “What happened to me during our primaries  was not an atomic secret. People saw it; it was on YouTube and all over. I was stopped from even entering the venue of the primaries by some thugs hired by my opponent.”

He reiterated that he had devoted his political life to achieve what had been accomplished, stressing that his heart was more for the people and fixed on establishing a positive historic legacy rather than engage in destructive pettiness.

Mandiya, who is seen by many as the best performing senator in Katsina State in terms of democratic dividends, said he would continue to bring more developmental projects to the doorsteps of his constituents.