2019: 24 Borno APC Govship Aspirants Endorse Indirect Primaries For Election of Govship Candidate

Against wide speculations across the state that Governor Kashim Shettima has endorsed one of the 24 governorship aspirants as APC 2019 Governorship Candidate, 14 out of the 24 aspirants rose from a critical emergency meeting Thursday evening endorsing the earlier decision of the State Chapter of the party and subsequent endorsement of the National Working Committee NWC to conduct indirect primaries for the election of the governorship, senatorial and house of representatives candidates of the party.

Addressing journalists in a press conference immediately after the crucial closed door meeting at the Government House Council Chamber Maiduguri Thursday, the Spokesman of the Governorship Aspirants who is also an aspirant, Ambassador Baba Ahned Jidda, the Nigerian Ambassador to China Republic said, "the Borno state chapter of the APC has collectively decided to elect its candidates into various elective positions through the indirect primaries".

" This is in accordance with the provisions of the party's constitution and the final decision of the National Working Committee," Jidda said.

He added that it will be recalled that few weeks ago, the APC in the state convened a meeting involving critical party executives at the state, local government and ward levels as well as the party leaders in the state to decide the best possible option to determine the party's candidates in different elective offices, taking into consideration the physical and political peculiarities of the state.

Baba Jidda said as such, it was unanimously resolved at the governorship Aspirants meeting that the party would adopt the indirect method of primary elections for the governorship, senatorial, house of representatives and state assembly candidates and the decision was supported by majority of the Aspirants for the governorship position.

According to him, consequently, the Borno state APC in a letter dated 3rd September , 2018 formally conveyed the party's resolution to the national headquarters of the party for their Information and endorsement.

He noted that the NWC , after series of meetings decided to endorse Borno State APC position on the primaries and issued press statement to the effect that Borno State among other states, should elect their party candidates through the indirect primaries.

Therefore, in view of the above, he said, "the position of our party is in tandem with the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC). We, therefore, cannot under any circumstances, violate the decision of the party's National Working Committee nor run contrary to the provision of the party's constitution".

The spokesman added also that the decision of the 14 governorship Aspirants was binding on all the 24 governorship Aspirants whether in attendance or absent as far as democracy is concerned, pointing out that, the decision was also taken by the party State Executive Council, Local Government and Ward Executives of the party, meaning that, " that is what has been agreed upon, is a decision supported by the majority of the APC members across the 27 LGAs of the state."

"We have endorsed indirect primaries as approved by the state and national working committee of the party. We are abiding by the decision and it is our decision to all to abide by the decision of the indirect primaries which has been endorsed to be adopted for the conduct of governorship primary election in the state", Baba Jidda said.

On whether the governorship Aspirants have decided to endorse a single candidate among them for the primaries, he declined to make comment and insisted that, the decision of the party and governorship Aspirants was indirect primaries for the governorship candidate election and others.

Those in attendance at the crucial governorship Aspirants meeting include Former Deputy Governor, Adamu Yuguda Shettima Dibal, Ambassador Baba Ahned Jidda, Gambo Lawan and Mohammed Makinta.

Others include Mohammed Umara Kumalia, Senator Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai, Adamu Lawan, Senator Abu Kyari, Mai Modu Sheriff, Mustapha Fannarambe, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Umar Alkali and Babagana Tijani Banki.