The All Progressives Congress (APC) has resolved to refund N5 million and N1.5 million charged aspirants that sought the chairmanship and councillorship tickets of the party respectively ahead of the November 2 local government election.
Governor Abdullahi Sule disclosed this while flagging off the party’s zonal rallies in Keffi and Akwanga, headquarters of Nasarawa West and Nasarawa North senatorial districts.
According to the governor, having lost in a keenly contested primary election organised by the party through consensus, the APC has resolved to refund the registration fees to all the aspirants who did not succeed in their bid for the ticket of the party.
In Keffi, Governor Sule called on members of the party to vote only candidates of the APC in the Saturday election, urging them not to take the opposition for granted.
He pointed out that even though the major opposition political party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would not participate in the election due to internal wrangling, members of the APC must not underrate the other political parties taking part in the election.
The governor highlighted the successes recorded in the inclusiveness of women in politics, with at least 13 women confirmed as councillorship candidates in the November 2 election.
“An issue came up regarding the participation of women. In the last dispensation, we had only one woman from Wamba as councilor. Today, we have at least 13 women who are going to be legislators.
“I think we have made significant progress and we look forward to that day where we are not talking about deputy chairmen, we are not talking about chairmen but more members in the House of Assembly, National Assembly and possibly a deputy governor or even a governor,” he said.
While assuring that the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) would fully mobilise election materials to every polling unit across the state, he stressed the significance of massive participation in the council poll.
On the clamour for Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada by supporters ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Governor Sule urged the supporters of the legislator to tell him to return to the APC.
“Tell Wadada to return to the APC. Since you are clamouring for Wadada, tell him to return to the APC. That is why Wadada is not with us here today. Let him return to our party first,” he stated.
The governor particularly cautioned the APC members in Nasarawa West Senatorial District to shun acts that could lead to disloyalty to the party.