The member representing Bogoro/ Dass/Tafawa Balewa, Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, Yakubu Dogara has withdrawn his interest in contesting for the position of the National Deputy Chairman (North) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Yakubu Dogara who is the immediate past Speaker of the House of Reps in a letter to the APC National Convention Election Subcommittee National Secretarial, titled ‘Notification of My Decision to Withdraw from the Race for National Deputy Chairman (North)’ stated that he took the decision in the spirit of a loyal party man.
He wrote in the letter made public late Saturday evening that, “I wish to communicate my decision to withdraw from the race for the position of National Deputy Chairman (North) of our great party.”
According to him, “It was thought that my emergence will no doubt strengthen our party’s position, especially in Bauchi State, the North East where the party couldn’t hold on to two states after just four years and indeed across all the states because of the extensive network and reach to serving and former members of the National Assembly.”
Yakubu Dogara lamented that “But it turned out that our respected party leaders have better ideas. Consequently, they micro zoned the position to Borno State whose stakeholders under the leadership of our amiable revolutionary leader, HE B Zullum and Sen Kassim Shetima have endorsed a brother and a long-standing supporter/ally, Sen Abubakar Kyari for the position.
“In the light of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives to adopt consensus in filling party positions at this convention and as one of those who are comfortably disposed to Mr President’s political philosophy, I wish to unequivocally express my unalloyed support for consensus and also my endorsement of Sen Abubakar Kyari for the position of Deputy Chairman (North),” he added.
The former speaker called for the cessation of bickering over party positions which is unhelpful to the health and unity of the great political family saying, “If APC must attract more members, it must be united as no one would board a boat of bickering sailors”.
He also stated that “It remains for me to thank my friends from the North West who bought the forms for me. These are the true disciples of the late sage, Sardauna, who believe in one North and are committed to walking the talk. They were in such a hurry that they actually paid twice for one form. May God reward you a thousand-fold and may he restore the peace that we once took for granted in the North and across the nation”.
He therefore called on all his teeming supporters across the length and breadth of this country to take this decision in good faith and work towards the “emergence of my brother, Sen. Abubakar Kyari. Wishing us all, a successful convention and journey mercies to our respective destinations”.
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