MEMBERS of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bagwai/Shanono federal constituency are asking the national headquarters to look in what they called “disenfranchisement” in the party’s primary that was held on Sunday.
“We did not vote, the primary did not hold in our constituency,” said an elder in the constituency who didn’t want to be named for fear of victimisation. “They should have at least allowed us to vote since there was no consensus between the two aspirants.”
He said three meetings were held with state party leaders and representatives of the two local government. State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf presided and the meeting, he said, ended without reaching any consensus between Hon Farouk Muhammed Lawan, former member of the House and Hon Yusuf Ahmad Badau, current representative.
“We later learnt that the party had decided to do an affirmation exercise for Hon Badau, instead of party primaries, in total disregard for the party constitution and guidelines.
Hon Farouk, said the Elder, did not participate in any primary. There was no primary in Bagwai/Shanono federal constituency.
“We want to vote. We want to choose our candidate, Hon Farouk Lawan. They do not want the primary because they know he would win. We are making a simple request to our national leaders for the primary to be held between Hon Lawan and Hon Badau,” the Elder concluded.