Some top chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bauchi, have joined protests against All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, DAILY POST can authoritatively report.
The former Edo state governor is having a running battle with some governors and state chapters over the conduct and outcome of primaries held nationwide.
In Bauchi North Senatorial District, party supporters have accused Oshiomhole of doing the bidding of powerful forces by allegedly substituting winners’ names with preferred candidates.
According to documents sighted by DAILY POST, Usman Abubakar Tuggar, won in six of the seven local government areas while his challenger, Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa won in one.
But APC stakeholders in the state claimed the national leadership swapped Tuggar’s name with Bulkachuwa in the list of candidates’ names submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Stakeholders kicked after names of parties’ national assembly candidates were on Thursday pasted at the INEC office in Bauchi for Bauchi South; Azare for Bauchi North and Darazo for Bauchi Central.
Bulkachuwa, born on April 16, 1940 in Bulkachuwa, the present day Katagum local government area, is the husband of Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, President of the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
And there are allegations that the APC is trying to use Adamu Bulkachuwa as an access to his wife, Justice Zainab, whose Court will handle election petition cases arising primary elections.
Speaking to our correspondent on Saturday, Tuggar’s aide, Umar Waziri said: “In the result sheet made available by INEC officials, Bulkachuwa scored 234 in Gamawa LG, while Tuggar gannered 20, 096 in the same LG. In Giade LG, Bulkachuwa got 1, 539 while Tuggar got 5, 878.
“In Jama’re LG, while Bulkachuwa got 388 votes, Tuggar got 948. In Katagun, Bulkachuwa got 7, 263 and Tuggar got 6, 278. In Shira LG, Bulkachuwa got 367 and Tuggar got 11, 739.
“In Zaki LG, Bulkachuwa scored 804 votes while Tuggar got 12, 280. And in Tas/Gadau LG, Bulkachuwa scored 6, 085 while Tuggar scored 14, 089 votes.
“The trio of Ibrahim Abdullahi, Bauchi State Electoral Commissioner; Baba Bukar Usman, Administrative Secretary, INEC, Bauchi State and Ahmed Alhaji Waziri, Ag. HoD, EPM, Bauchi State all signed a document vindicating Tuggar as the winner of the primary.
“In the document titled: ‘Summary of Candidates Nominated at Political Party Direct Primary Election held on 3rd October, 2018’, Usman Abubakar Tuggar, Hon. Hallilu Dauda Jika and Dr. Danjuma Adamu Dabo were the authentic winners of the direct primary in Bauchi North, Bauchi Central and Bauchi South senatorial districts respectively.
“But when the result got to Abuja, the names of Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa and Lawal Yahaya Gumau were used to replace the original winners, Tuggar and Dr. Dabo without any reason.”
The aide recalled that Tuggar, in his petition to the National Headquarters of APC, said: “It is with deep shock that after the primary elections, I heard an announcement by the Committee Chairman, Prof. Ahmed Bakori Mohammed that Adamu Bulkachuwa has been declared the winner”.
According to Waziri, Tuggar, who has been in active politics since 2005 in the ANPP and contested under the CPC in the 2011 Gamawa Federal Constituency election, is demanding that justice be done in the spirit of fairness and justice.
In his reaction, Oshiomhole’s chief press secretary, Simon Ebegbulem, said: “I’m not conversant with the situation. Please call the National Publicity Secretary”.
When contacted, Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC spokesman told DAILY POST that he could not comment on individual cases.
His words: “You know there was an appeal panel and they received hundreds of petitions. There’s no way I can speak to a specific one. It would be difficult for me to have all the details. I can only speak generally.
“I was not a member of the appeal panel. I’m not even sure an appeal committee member can speak to a specific issue or remember details.
“There’s a procedure: you appeal and whatever the outcome, the national working committee will consider. That must have been done. I don’t want to address specific issues, other than to talk generally.
“Wherever they were issues, people were encouraged seek redress and those who sought redress were attended to by the committee who has submitted its report. That’s all I can say now”.
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