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

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

All Progressive Congress (APC) aspirants for Bauchi State House of Assembly seats under the aegis of the “Bauchi State Assembly Aspirants Forum” who lost in the recent party primaries in the state have called on the national leadership of the party to conduct fresh primary election or refund them their expression of interest and nomination fees.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, spokesperson of the forum Hon. Aishatu Haruna, who contested from Zungur/Galambi constituency, alleged that no election was conducted in the state.

According to her, the party allegedly announced the names of its favorite aspirants as standard bearers of the party and submitted the list to 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 ground 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”. She stated.

The aspirant who revealed that the state Governor Mohammed Abubakar had after the outcome of the primary election promised to meet with aggrieved aspirants, noted that the governor did not redeem his pledge but sent one of his advisers to talk to them.

“Up to 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 said.