Skip to main content

2019: APC chairpersons reject party’s senator, endorse opponent

The chairpersons of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the six local governments that make up Kaduna Central Senatorial district have endorsed a rival candidate as senator for the zone.
The district is currently represented in the Senate by Shehu Sani, an activist and member of the APC. Mr. Sani has had a running battle with the governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Rising from a meeting in Kaduna on Saturday, the APC chairmen endorsed a political adviser to Mr. El-Rufai, Uba Sani, for the ticket, come 2019.
The six local governments whose APC leaders endorsed the endorsement are Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Giwa.
Reading a communique after the meeting, the APC chairman of Kaduna North Local Government Area, Musa Sheriff, said that their decision was based on the positive contributions by Uba Sani to the affected local governments including securing jobs for the youth.
“The governor’s adviser has secured thousands of job opportunities for youth in the state through newly-created agencies like KASTLEA, KADIPA, etc. He has also secured employment for our teaming youth as forest rangers, sanitation workers and so many empowerment programmes.
“He has also secured jobs for hundreds of our teeming youth under the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). He was also instrumental to disbursement of support funds through various Anchor Borrowers Scheme under the Agricultural Intervention Programme,” Mr. Sheriff said.
Also speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Sheriff further justified the decision.
“Indeed we all agree to endorse Uba and that is because we deem him best for the seat come 2019.”




 

When asked why they dumped the current senator knowing fully that he might want to seek reelection, Mr. Sherrif said, “I want you to know that the current senator is still not pardoned by the party and technically he is not recognised as a member of the party in Kaduna.”
The Kaduna South APC chairman, Ibrahim Magaji, also told PREMIUM TIMES that the leaders took the decision unanimously.
“It is a unanimous decision. We all agree that Uba should contest for the senate seat in 2019,” Mr. Magaji said.
Uba Sani had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that he would announce his political intentions to the public soon.
“I will speak out about my intentions at the right time,” Mr. Uba said.
When PREMIUM TIMES contacted an aide to the incumbent senator, Shehu Sani, he said the senator’s camp will respond to the decision of the party chairmen at the appropriate time.



  “We cannot respond to them now,” Chima Abdussamad said. “Because this is not the time to start campaigning for political seats or positions.”
“The Nigerian constitution is clear and as law abiding citizens, we will wait until the right time as stated in the electoral act that campaigns should start.
“But as far as we are concerned, they are only speaking for themselves not for the people of their constituencies. When the time for campaigns and elections come, we shall see,” Mr. Abdussamad said.
Also, some APC members from Kaduna North have distanced themselves from the stance of the party chairpersons. In a radio broadcast in Kaduna, which was also made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the party members said they were not in support of the decision.




 

“They are on their own. We as party members and loyalists were not consulted before the decision was taken.
“As far as we are concern we are not aware of what they did and we stand by what we have for now.”









Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Leaked Memo: Buhari Summons Kyari, Oyo-Ita After FEC Clash

by Punch Newspaper Nov 02, 2017 President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday summoned his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, over their clash at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The fierce crossfire between Kyari and Oyo-Ita, which occurred shortly before the Federal Executive Council meeting, was believed to have been caused by the leaked memo, which Oyo-Ita sent to Kyari on the controversial reinstatement and posting of the embattled former chairman of the Pension Reforms Commission, Abdulrasheed Maina. A source at the meeting said Kyari accused Oyo-Ita of leaking the memo, which she wrote to the CoS on the reinstatement of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina into the Civil Service. In the memo, which was exclusively published by The PUNCH on Tuesday, Oyo-Ita said that she warned the President against asking Maina to return to the civil service, saying doing so could affect ...

Again, Presidency replies Amnesty International over report on killings

President Muhammadu Buhari The Presidency has accused Amnesty International of drawing “wrong conclusions” in its latest report highlighting the failure of the Nigerian government to check rampant killings in the last three years. The Nigerian Army had earlier dismissed the report, demanding the withdrawal of the group from the country, while the Presidency in its initial response “expressed concerns” about the group’s report. But in a more measured tone Thursday, the Presidency, through spokesperson Garba Shehu, commended Amnesty International for some of its conclusions, but said its evidence gathering was flawed. Read the full statement below: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT, DRAWING THE WRONG CONCLUSIONS – PRESIDENCY The first thing to say about Amnesty International’s Report: Setting the Record Straight is to thank the organisation for confirming a fact stated time and again by President Muhammadu Buhari that the conflict between herders and farmers i...

2Baba’s publicist, activists urge Nigerian youth on violence-free election

February 14, 2018 Organised campaign by the Initiative for Africa Youth Advancement Advocacy and Empowerment, IAYAAE, themed "Elections without Bloodbath". A publicist to popular Nigerian pop artiste, Innocent Idibia (2Baba), Efe Omoregbe, on Tuesday called on Nigerian youth to act rather than complain about the state of the nation. Mr. Omoregbe spoke at a programme organised by the Initiative for Africa Youth Advancement Advocacy and Empowerment, IAYAAE, themed “Elections without Bloodbath”. The programme, which held at the premises of the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Secretariat, Lagos, was put together to sensitise the youth on the dangers of electoral violence. Mr. Omoregbe in his intervention called to the youth to deploy affirmative action and apply knowledge gathered synthetic programme during electioneering. He told the crowd to rise and act by taking responsibilities without trading blames, saying the Nigeria of today is the nat...