Abba-Aji Dumps Governorship Ambition, Returns to PDP for Senate Seat

By Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

A former presidential liaison officer in the National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji at the weekend officially dumped his governorship ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and picked the form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the Borno Central senatorial seat.

Abba-Aji, who was a Special Assistant to both former Presidents Umar Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, said he left APC as a result of the fallout of the “imposition” of indirect primaries on the party in the state.

Speaking to journalists, Abba-Aji said his decision was informed by the internal problem bedeviling the APC in the state.

He decried that the APC governors have become extremely too powerful to the extent of pocketing state party chairmen to do their biddings.

 He condemned the adoption of indirect primaries by Borno State chapter of the ruling party, adding that this was contrary to the resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party.

He said the adoption of indirect primaries was hurriedly done  at a stakeholders’ meeting, which according to him was hurriedly convened without the presence of card- carrying members of the party and governorship aspirants.

The distortion in the party he added has inadvertently empowered the governors.

“What the governors are doing showed fear and distrust to people who have sticked out their necks to become members of APC . Stakeholders held meeting without the presence of any governorship aspirant, which is an injustice.

“My coming out to represent my people again at the National Assembly is to consolidate on what I had achieved while I was there , and by the grace of God, I am the candidate to beat. Whoever APC presents for the Borno Central senatorial race will suffer defeat from me. I will defeat their candidate because of my long term experience in the legislative business,” Abba-Aji said.

Abba-Aji said he was ready to contest with the incumbent Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, for the Borno Central senatorial ticket at the upcoming 2019 elections.