Governor Amosun: sees President Buhari over Ogun primaries
By Ismaila Chafe
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Unconfirmed reports said Amosun has threatened to dump the All Progressives Congress for Accord Party over the outcome of the primaries. He wants his nominee, Abdulkabir Akinlade as Ogun governorship candidate, but he appears to be knocking his head against concrete wall as the party is backing Prince Dapo Abiodun.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yari, who was visiting the presidential villa for the second time since the conduct of the controversial All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Zamfara, was accompanied by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state.
NAN gathered that Yari would use the opportunity of the meeting to update President Buhari on the political happenings in Zamfara before, during and after the `failed’ APC primaries in the state.
The APC National Working Committee panel sent to Zamfara for the conduct of the APC primaries had failed to organise the exercise, citing security challenges.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had in a letter, addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, said the APC would not be allowed to field candidates for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
The INEC letter, which was signed by its acting Secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche, explained that its decision was hinged on the fact that the party had failed to conduct primaries for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly before the expiration of its INEC Oct. 7 deadline.
It said that the party had run foul of the provisions of sections 87 and 31 of the Electoral Act 2010.
But, Oshiomhole faulted the electoral commission, saying the APC had conducted primaries in Zamfara, as such has candidates for all elective positions during the 2019 general elections.
A governorship aspirant, Sen. Kabiru Marafa, had also backed INEC, claiming the APC neither conducted primaries nor agree on candidates through consensus up to the expiration of the Oct. 7 deadline.