APC aspirant rejects primary result in Katsina, claims ticket stolen

An aspirant who contested for the House of Representatives seat to represent the Mani/Bindawa federal constituency in the recently concluded APC primaries in Katsina State has responded to rumours about a woman named Mrs. Jamila Abdu Mani being declared the winner of the election in which he participated.

The aspirant, Ahmed Saleh Junior, asserted that this claim is false.

Junior, stated that he was the rightful winner of the election based on the agreed consensus established by the party.

He was announced as the winner by the stakeholders and was congratulated by everyone. However, he alleges that his victory was later overturned for selfish reasons.

“Unfortunately, in the build-up to this day of the primaries, there was a consensus, which the APC in the state opted to use in fishing out the candidates.”

He stated that he received an endorsement from party stakeholders after the state chapter implemented a consensus arrangement.

He explained that stakeholders throughout the constituency collectively supported his nomination as the consensus candidate.

He also mentioned that his name was subsequently published in the party’s official gazette following the endorsement.

“I was endorsed by stakeholders across the constituency and congratulated by party leaders, including the governor,” Saleh said.

He alleged that some aggrieved aspirants accused him of using money which they allege influences the stakeholders’ decision.

Junior said the complaints possibly led to the cancellation of the earlier consensus arrangement by party officials.

He explained that a fresh consensus committee was later constituted by the party leadership and according to him, another round of voting was conducted in the presence of all aspirants.

“Twenty-five out of twenty-seven stakeholders voted in my favour during the exercise,” he explained.

Saleh claimed the committee declared him winner before the ticket was later given to another aspirant.

“The committee announced me winner, but the ticket was eventually handed to someone else,” he alleged.

He directed the decision to deny him his victory to the State Governor Dikko Umar Radda as he further alleged that security operatives placed him under house arrest during the primary election.

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According to him, the restriction prevented his participation in the direct primary process conducted on Saturday.

“The primary was conducted in my absence and results announced without my participation,” he said.

The Aspirant said since the party had constituted an elders’ committee to address grievances from the exercise, he now rely on the committee to do justice and treat him fairly.

He reaffirmed his support and pledged continued loyalty to the APC.

“I believe the elders’ committee will ensure justice, fairness and reconciliation,” he said.

Responding to the allegations and with particular reference to the State Governor’s involvement in the matter, Malam Maiwada Danmalam, the Director-General of Media to the governor, said the Governor is not even aware of the problem.

“Governors are not constitutionally empowered to exercise authority over security agencies, such as the DSS, in this regard.

“It defies logic, therefore, for the aggrieved aspirant to accuse His Excellency, Governor Radda of his purported arrest or detention by the DSS.

“The DSS is a federal government agency with statutory responsibility of enforcing law and order in the country. Part of the agency’s job description is to investigate and respond to issues assessed to be potentially threatening to the peace and tranquillity of the country, either in part or as a whole.

The DG media said although governors are the chief security officers in their states, this shouldn’t be confused this with running the daily affairs of DSS or any security agency.

“It’s not the purview of state governors to order DSS to do their biddings. DSS is in the best position to confirm the circumstances as well as the facts of the purported arrest for appropriate actions where and if necessary. And in this regard, rather than amplify the allegations of the aggrieved aspirant, it makes better sense for journalists to first ask the aggrieved why he was arrested. This may probably solve the puzzle.” Danmalam concluded.