The Accountability and Democratic Project (ADEP), a civic group, has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking the disqualification of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique (retired) from contesting the Bauchi State governorship election in 2023.
The group’s Executive Director, Ahmad Muhammad, in the petition, asked INEC to disqualify Sadique, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Bauchi, over alleged disparity in the forms he submitted to the commission.
According to him, a cursory look at the forms showed the candidate claimed that he was born in Azare without providing details.
He also said there was no evidential document to prove his academic qualifications and his Nigerian citizenship.
“It is in this light that we write your good office to draw your attention to this grave disregard for the law and ask that you apply the law appropriately by disqualifying the said Abubakar Sadique Baba,” he said.
Reacting, the APC candidate said those seeking his disqualification were ignorant of the law.
Sadique’s spokesman, Salisu Ahmed Barau, said the former Chief of Air Staff, as a Nigerian, had served the country diligently as “Air Force general and worked in the Nigerian Air Force for 42 years.
“Therefore, for any group to come out and ask for his disqualification, it shows that it is ignorant of the law.”
By Abbas Jimoh & Balarabe Alkassim
