Politics
Zamfara governor dares Oshiomhole over APC governorship primaries
– Zamfara state governor, Abdul’aziz Yari called out his supporters for a peaceful protest over the decision of the national leadership of the APC to cancel the party’s governorship primaries
– The APC national secretariat cancelled the Zamfara governorship primaries held on Wednesday, October 3
– The chairman of the election panel said the cancellation was due to harassment, intimidation of voters and snatching of election materials by thugs
Governor Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara state, on Friday, October 5, called out his supporters for a peaceful protest over the decision of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cancel the party’s governorship primaries held on Wednesday, October 3.
“I am calling on all our members to come out and storm the state Police Headquarters tomorrow (Saturday) by 10 am for peaceful protest.
“We will continue with this decision until the national leadership of our party do what is right on this matter,” he said at a press conference in Gusau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor is having running battle with eight governorship aspirants in the state over the conduct of direct primaries.
The governorship primaries held on Wednesday, October 3, was cancelled by the party’s national secretariat and a fresh one is expected to hold on Saturday, October 6.
According to Abu Fari, chairman of the election panel, the cancellation was due to harassment and intimidation of voters and snatching of election materials by thugs sponsored by politicians.
Yari however dismissed the claim by the committee as false and warned its members not to step into Zamfara again.
“Our issue is with the National Secretariat of APC where Adams Oshiomhole continue be a dictator to party members, he acts as a mini god.
“You know, there is ongoing issue regarding the APC governorship primaries in the state, where the national headquarters sent a committee to conduct the election.
“It was very unfortunate that the committee canceled the election on Wednesday.
“We heard that the National Working Committee had dissolved the APC executive in the state and also send the same committee to Zamfara to repeat the exercise.
“I want to call on the national headquarters of the party that we will not accept the decision and we are not satisfied with the committee, we don’t have confidence in that committee.
“I am warning members of that committee that they should never come to Zamfara, they should never put their legs in this state, and anything that happens to them, Adams Oshiomhole should be held responsible.
“We will continue with this decision until the national leadership of the party are ready to do justice,” he stressed.
The governor dismissed insinuations that he had dumped the APC, saying nothing will make him leave the party.
“I remain in APC and I will never leave the party. No amount of pressure will make me to leave the APC.”
The governor added: “I was among the founders of this party, I was in Lagos, Nasarawa states for meetings before we gave birth to the APC, therefore no amount of pressure will make me to leave the party.
“You know, changing political party is not my tradition, therefore I will not change the party and the rumour going round is not true, I am not under any pressure to leave the party.”
NAN reports that Yari’s travails began when he anointed his commissioner of finance as the sole candidate of APC in the state, a decision challenged by eight aspirants including his deputy, Ibrahim Wakala.
The aspirants locally known as the G8, are a former governor of the state Aliyu Shinkafi, a serving Senator, Kabiru Marafa, and Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali.
Others include, Aminu Sani Jaji, Alhaji Dauda Lawal, Alhaji Abu Mahaji and Sagir Hamidu.
TR previously reported that the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, October 2, described the results being circulated as the outcome of the Imo governorship primaries as fake.
He stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Oshiomhole, who said he was in the villa to update President Buhari on the developments in the APC, ruled out the possibility of honouring parallel results from states.
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Source: Naija.ng