Stakeholders lambast Niger APC chair over plan to conduct fresh primaries for Magama/Rijau Constituency 

Delegates and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger State have condemned the plans of the state party chairman, Hon. Haliru Jikantoro, to conduct fresh elections for the constituency seat in Minna.

Recall that initially, the primaries were supposed to have been held in Rijau on Saturday, May 27, but after delegates were attacked by thugs and bandits, the electoral committee rescheduled it.

The elections were held on 28th in Kontagora in the presence of the three aspirants’ agents, who signed the result announced by the Chairman Primary Election Committee, Dr. Danjuma Binni Beji, and the secretary Dr. Garba Salihu.

During the primaries, a total of 103 delegates were accredited of which Dr. Mahmuda Mamman polled 103.

The other two aspirants include incumbent House of Representatives member, Hon. Shehu Sale, and Bashir Ahmed who both scored zero votes.

The Chairman of APC in the Magama Local Government Area, Abukakar Usman (aka Bafa), reacting to the latest development, stated that there was no need for fresh elections when there is no appeal or protests from any aspirants or members in the constituency over the outcome of the primaries.

He argued that the agents of the aspirants signed the result after the electoral committee announced it in the presence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the security agencies as well as the media.

Usman insisted, “the primary elections went on, the result was announced and every one of us has gone back to our various homes. After we heard of the latest development, we called the Appeal committee and they said they did not receive any appeal or protests. So, why is the state party Chairman trying to cause unnecessary problems for the party?”

However, efforts to get Jikantoro’s reaction through calls and text messages failed as he kept rejecting calls put to him.

Confirming the elections held for the Constituency seat, the Chairman, Appeal Committee, Umar Marado told our reporter that no appeal or protest was received from Magama/ Rijau Federal Constituency on the conduct of the primaries in the area.

Speaking to journalists, Yohanna Musa and Aliyu Abdullahi Jatau, who were among the delegates that took part in the elections said, if the rescheduled elections must take place, then it has to be in Kontagora and not Minna. Kontagora is safe and closer to all the delegates, they said.

They maintained, “the election was conducted peacefully. The aspirants have not complained or protested against the results. The state party chairman and some persons who don’t mean well for the party are just out to cause problems in the party and we will not allow them to succeed in their game plan”.