Governorship candidates, other stakeholders plot APC defeat ‎in Bauchi

Governorship candidates in the forthcoming general elections, and other political stakeholders in Bauchi state have allegedly held a meeting ‎in Abuja to adopt one candidate to confront the incumbent governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar in the forthcoming governorship race of the state, reliable sources close to the meeting informed Daily Trust.

New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Ambassador Shu’aibu Ahmed Adamu while speaking to our reporter on telephone confirmed that the meeting had indeed taken place.

“Yes, we had a meeting in Abuja‎ and it was suggested that we step down for one of us. But we have made our position clear, that, it is too late now to be talking about stepping down for one of us. So, we are going ahead with our campaigns,”he said.

Bauchi State chairman, Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Alhaji Sani Burra also confirmed that, there was a meeting of the state governorship candidates in Abuja where the issue was discussed.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State PRP chairman, Alhaji Shehu Barau Ningi confirmed that, the party’s governorship candidate, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate attended the Abuja meeting.

He however‎ declined comment on the details of what transpired at the meeting.

On his part, the state APC Organising Secretary, Lawan Gyan-Gyan dismissed the meeting as useless and of no impact.

“They have been plotting all things against Governor Abubakar and this one will also fail. They are just a collection of selfish, self centred power mongers.

“I am telling you, they will not agree to step down for any of them. Governor Abubakar was elected by Bauchi people in 2015 with the highest number of votes in the history of the state,”he said.

According to INEC, 28 political parties have fielded governorship candidates in the state for the 2019 elections.

It was not however clear how many of the candidates attended the Abuja meeting.

Calls to the Bauchi PDP governorship candidate, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the state party chairman, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam and the party’s Spokesperson, Yayanuwa Zainabari were not answered at the time of filing this report.