NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: Senator Danjuma Laah, RT Hon Yusuf Bala Ikara, Rt Hon Yusuf Zailani and Hon Michael Auta, have on Tuesday called for the total cancellation of the purported APC primary elections in the three senatorial zones of the state.
The aggrieved aspirants called for redress and fresh election to be conducted inline with the rules and regulations of the Independent National Electoral Commission,( INEC)
The leader of the concerned aspirants, Senator Danjuma Laah, said “Senator Sunday Marshal Katung was announced winner of the purported APC primary elections of the Southern Senatorial Zone, this was also replicate across all the Northern and Central zones of Kaduna State, announcing Senator Shehu Sani as winner of the Central senatorial zone and Hon Ramalan Yero as the purported winner of the Northern Senatorial Zone”.
The group alleged that, unauthorized direct primary delegates were used, absence of electoral material for the election, lack of notice for the conduct of the election, more than eighty thousand new party members were registered but only selected few perticipate in the election, some members were denied voting because no polling units were open at different centers.
Senator Danjuma Laah further noted, the conduct of this kind of primaries has directly violated the National Working Committee guidelines of the primaries which is clearly stated in article 20.
“The statutory provisions in the guidelines has clearly stated that any candidate who seeks to contest in the general elections must follow through the direct primaries or consensus by the members of the party, as such, this will affect our parties participation in the general elections as the guidelines for the electoral act as amended”.
Responding to questions, Auta, Engr Hon Michael John Auta aspirants of the Southern senatorial district maintained that they are trying to fight for their constitutional rights.
“We are trying to exercise our constitutional rights because what happened in this purported primary election was nothing short of broad day light robbery, we are going to fight to the end to make sure that the right thing is done, we have reported to the DSS, the Police, the headquarters of APC in Kaduna and we will be heading to Abuja from here to air our grievances”.
Simlarly, Rt Hon Yusuf Bala Ikara also affirmed that they are speaking now with one voice which is enshrined in the Constitution.
” We are fighting for our right based on the constitution, if the needful will not be done, we are going to seeking for legal redress. Our stand is, let the primary elections be cancelled and the right thing be done based on the guidelines provided by the new laws”.the group added.