The Bauchi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has commenced the process of conducting a fresh governorship primary after its candidate, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim, withdrew from the race yesterday.
The state’s spokesman of the PDP, Yayanuwa Zainabari, who stated this yesterday while speaking with reporters in Bauchi, said the fresh exercise would hold on Saturday, June 4, 2022.
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Kashim’s withdrawal from the race came after Governor Bala Mohammed failed to secure the party’s presidential ticket at its national convention last Saturday in Abuja.
Kashim, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), was the sole aspirant for the governorship seat during the primary.
He was said to be holding forth for Governor Mohammed in the event that he (Mohammed) lost the presidential ticket.
The fresh primary will now pave way for the governor to seek the party’s ticket to run for a second term.
Zainabari said, “The former Secretary to the Government of Bauchi State, Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, has withdrawn his candidature. Since he stepped down on his own volition, the party is left with no option but to get his replacement through fresh primary election.”
He noted that the party’s decision to conduct a fresh exercise was in line with the provisions of the Electoral Law.
He said, “Governor Bala contested the presidential ticket based on the calls from well-meaning Nigerians, different associations and people of integrity from all walks of life. He answered their calls.
“Now the people of Bauchi want him to contest for a second term. It is also left for the people of the state to decide, and whatever the people decide will be done. The governor is someone who answers the calls of his people.”
When asked whether the governor is the sole aspirant in the coming primary, a PDP official in Bauchi, who preferred not to be named, said, “I don’t know yet. Others have filled the forms to contest, but I cannot say whether he is the only one or not.”
Meanwhile, Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 states that: “A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted to the commission (INEC) except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.
“Provided that in the case of such withdrawal or death of a candidate, the political party affected shall within 14 days of the occurrence of the event hold a fresh primary election to produce and submit a fresh candidate to the commission for the election concerned.”
By Balarabe Alkassim (Abuja) & Ahmed Mohammed (Bauchi)
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