APC presidential primaries: Process marred by apathy in Bauchi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries was marred by general apathy on the side of party members in the state.

The apathy might not be unconnected with the issue of conducting direct primaries in the state.

The directive by the national headquarters of the party that a direct primary election should be conducted in the state left the party divided in the state.

Bauchi state chapter of the party had earlier decide that an indirect primary election and later adopted Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar as the sole candidate of the party, a move rejected by the three other aspirants of the party.

After much delay, our reporter who went round some of the wards in Bauchi metropolis observed that, there was no election taking place.

Bauchi metropolis has 12 wards, five are located in the metropolis while seven are located outside.

Further findings at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed that, a team which went out to monitor the process had not also witness any activity in any of the wards.

A staff of INEC who was part of the monitoring team informed our reporter that they have not witnessed any process going on.

SEE ALSO : APC primaries: voting materials yet to leave party headquarters in calabar

However, much later, Governor Mohammed Abubakar visited his Makama Sarkin Baki Ward at around 5:30 PM where he affirmed President Muhammadu Buhari for second term.

Speaking after his affirmation, the governor called on the electorates to support and vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in his second term bid.

He said that APC members and other  Nigerians are solidly behind the president and will vote for him to continue with the good policies he has started.

However, apart from the governor’s ward, there was no other ward in the metropolis where the primaries was held.

A member of the party, comrade Sabo Mohammed while speaking to our reporter said that there was no primaries in the wards in Bauchi metropolis.

Mohammed who is an APC aspirant for Bauchi federal constituency in the House of Representatives said that, if there is voting in the wards he would have voted in his ward.

He however disclosed that there were presidential primary in some wards outside the metropolis.

Bauchi state has 212 federal wards across the 20 local government areas of the state where the presidential primaries would have taken place.