Conduct Fresh Primaries or Refund our Money, Aspirants Tell Bauchi APC

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Aspirants for the Bauchi State House of Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who lost in the party’s primaries, have called on the national leadership of the party to conduct fresh primary elections or refund their expressions of interest and nomination fees.

Speaking with journalists Tuesday in Bauchi, spokesperson of the aspirants on the aegis of ‘Bauchi State Assembly Aspirants Forum’, Hon. Aishatu Haruna alias ‘Gimbiya’, who contested from Zungur/Galambi constituency in the state assembly, lamented that no election was conducted in the state but the party allegedly announced the names of its favorite aspirants as standard-bearers of the party and submitted the list to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to her, “They sold forms to us, screened and cleared us to run without telling us that we had any problems, but they didn’t provide fair playing field to all aspirants during the primary election. In fact, no election had taken place, they only nominated candidates for the party.

“We therefore appeal to the national headquarters of the party and President Buhari to wade into the matter with a view to ensuring that justice is done to us. What we demand is that the election should be cancelled or else, the party should refund us the monies we spent.”

The aspirant, who revealed that the state Governor Mohammed Abubakar had after the outcome of the primary election promised to meet with the aggrieved aspirants, said that up to the present moment, he had not redeemed his pledge but sent one of his advisers to talk to them.

“Up till now, we were not told when the governor will sit with us. He should sit with all the aspirants concerned so we can tell him our grievances. If we don’t hear from him within the next few days, we will decide our next line of action,” She threatened.