The three other All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirants in Bauchi state are trading words with the state chapter of the party over its adoption of indirect primaries to select its candidates.
Captain Bala Jibrin, Dr Ali Pate and Dr Ibrahim Yakubu had insisted that a direct primary election should be conducted to select the APC candidate for 2019 elections.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar on media and strategy, Ali M. Ali while reacting to a statement credited to Mohammed Ali Pate described the candidate as a spoiler.
“Our attention has been drawn to the fantastic claims of a gubernatorial candidate of our dear state, Bauchi, on the platform of our great party,the APC to the effect that unless a direct was conducted to “test the popularity of all aspirants”,the party will lose in the impending polls early next year,” said the statement.
The statement described Pate’s statement as coming from a perennial aspirant for the office of Governor, who hibernates for years only to surface at another time.
However, in a swift reaction through his campaign organisation, Pate expressed surprise about where the reaction to his statement is coming from instead of the party’s leadership.
“Clearly, it is no surprise that such a release is coming out of the Bauchi Government and not the State Chapter of the APC, who know better.”
“Direct Primaries approach is a clear option in the Constitution of the APC. It is also the preferred option for President Muhammad Buhari. Lagos, Kano and some states are already adopting the Direct approach to primaries, as it is more democratic and in line with the popular, progressive ideology of the APC, which the current Bauchi Governor is not aware.”
The two other APC aspirants, Captain Bala Jibrin and former minister for Police Affairs, Dr Ibrahim Yakubu Lame have insisted that direct Primaries will ensure fairness, peace and unity of the party.
They urged the APC National working Committee (NWC) to ensure that direct Primaries is conducted in the state.
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