Niger 2019: Governor Bello Gets a Challenger

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Despite the endorsement of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello by stakeholders to run for second term, a challenger has emerged to face the governor in the political duel for the coveted position.

Alhaji Mshmood Sani, a chieftain of APC, declared his intention to vie for governor thereby making it mandatory for the party to hold a primary election to pick a candidate.

Sani who was the ACN candidate for the 2015 governorship election vowed to defeat governor Bello in the primaries of the APC

“We will insist on direct primary election. I am sure I will be the candidate of the APC if the direct primary election method was adopted” Sani declared while briefing newsmen in Minna.

The governorship aspirant also said that the issue of zoning of the governorship did not arise because “there is no part of our constitution that says we should zone political offices.

“Everybody is free to aspire for any position not withstanding from what part of the state you come from.”

He assured that he would give the state a better administration if he becomes the governor in 2019.

The state secretariat of the APC declined to comment on the aspiration of Alhaji Sani with one official saying “we will cross the river when we get there.”

Sani has already started facing some obstacles in the realisation of his governorship bid with his alleged removal as the state chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria.

He had earlier told THISDAY that, “I cannot be intimidated, I will contest the governorship of the state under the APC, there is no law that says I must resign as chairman before I can contest or vie for any position”.