APC governorship primary not free and fair, aspirants allege

From Ahmad Ibrahim Lokoja

Some governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Party, APC who were poised to participate in yesterday’s primary has described the exercise as not free and fair.
One of the aspirants and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Hassan Baiwa has staged a walk out from the from the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja venue of the shadow election, alleging that the primary has been compromised.
This is even as Dr Babatunde Irukera insisted that the exercise falls short of acceptable norms, debunking the insinuation that he refused to show up at the venue of the primary.
Baiwa who represents Dekina /Bassa Federal Constituency in a telephone chat with our correspondent, pointed out that he could not cope with the level of manipulation going on at the venue, thereby compelling him to abandon the stadium.
Asked to be specific, the aspirant averred that he was taken aback when nearly all delegates claimed to be illiterates who cannot read or write, hence officials were issuing them with already customised ballot paper with Governor Bello’s name on them.
He added that all efforts to make the officials to rectify the open manipulation fell on deaf ears, even as the law enforcement agents at the venue chased him away.
On his next line of action, the lawmaker said he has decided on what to do, saying he is already discussing his supporters, and would communicate his decisions in due course.