We don’t have anointed candidate in Jos North, Bassa by-election – APC Chairman

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State has denied the allegations that it has zoned its Presidential ticket to a particular local government in the State.

State Chairman of the party, Rufus Bature, in an interview with journàlists in the State said also that the rumours that Governor Simon Lalong has endorsed an aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) bye-election in Jos North/Bassa constituency is unfounded.

Nature reiterated the party hierarchy’s determination to provide a level playing ground for all aspirants, adding that there is no truth in the rumours that Governor Lalong had endorsed his Commissioner for Commerce, Abe Aku, who recently resigned for the position.

Bature said, “To the best of my knowledge, there has been no such instruction from Mr. Governor; we are creating a level playing ground for all aspirants. As I speak, they are all being screened in Abuja.

“We have about eight aspirants, we intend that by the 1st of February, 2022, the primary election will be held and it is going to be, by the grace of God, an indirect primary”.

On whether there was micro zoning in the aforementioned constituency as reports have it, Bature said, “I was not on seat then, and I have not received any report from any committee in respect to micro-zoning, so I’m acting on what is on ground.

“And to be honest, that position has not been zoned to any particular local government; but one of the local government is trying to appeal to the other one to stand with them since the deceased member was from there (Bassa) so that they can complete his term”, he explained.

Speaking on the controversy that surrounded his emergence as chairman of the party in the state, Bature said, “Contrary to reports, there has never been a faction in APC on the Plateau, there were just a few disgruntled people, who felt they were not carried along in the course of the State Congress that took place last October.

“That notwithstanding, we had to call them, we sat down and discussed issues dispassionately, and we looked at the party above self.

“They all understood where myself and the other elected officials were coming from, and they went to court and withdrew the case they had filed”, he explained.

He said the party has continued to dialogue with other members who also feel disgruntled in one way or the other.

On which candidate the state will be supporting during the party’s National Convention, the chairman said, “Plateau will decide on the day of the convention.

“This race is not just for Plateau Benue and Nasarawa States, it is for the whole country; so where Nigerians will be going is where we will all team up; because we want to form a formidable party, where we understand ourselves towards 2023”.

Meanwhile, the bye-election was necessitated by the demise of the member representing the constituency, Haruna Maitala, who died in a road accident along Abuja-Jos road, in April 2021.