Ahead of the scheduled primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), preparatory to the 2023 general elections, Nasarawa State Governor, has assured of a transparent and fair exercise.
This is just as the APC in Nasarawa State, adopted the list of delegates previously elected at the ward, local government, state, and national congresses of the party.
Engineer Sule gave the assurance during the meeting of the state APC caucus, which was held at the Government House, on Friday.
According to the Governor, he will not support any other process during the primary elections of the party, order than the transparent and fair process that brought him into office back in 2019.
Engineer Sule called on delegates of the party to go out and vote for the aspirants of their choice.
The Governor noted that it has become expedient to adopt the delegates produced during the last congresses of the party because of the constraints of time, as well as ensuring unity and peace within the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He, therefore, appealed to critical stakeholders and members of the APC in the state to accept this decision in good faith.
“There is no way you will conduct another exercise and there will be no issues. I perfectly understand that definitely, not everybody will be wholeheartedly comfortable with adopting that. But because it was a decision we have taken even before today, it wasn’t something that was even done here in the Government House, we allowed various stakeholders at the various constituencies to go out and carry out the exercise,” he explained.
Engineer Sule emphasized that having come into office through a fair and transparent primary election, which made it easy for the majority of aspirants that contested along with him to accept the outcome, he cannot turn his back on the same process leading to the party’s primary elections.
The Governor thanked the state working committee of the party for accepting to hold the caucus meeting at the Government House, as well as other stakeholders for attending the meeting.
He explained that other critical stakeholders, such as the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura, have all agreed with the decision taken by the party.
Earlier, in opening remarks, state Chairman of the APC, Hon John Mamman, said the meeting was convened for the caucus the important decision that will guide the party towards the conduct of the scheduled primary elections of the party.
The APC state Chairman made a case for the caucus to consider, adopt and approve the list of local government, state, and national delegates elected at the previous party congresses to be used for the party’s primary preparatory to the pending general elections.
According to Hon Mamman, his appeal to the critical and major stakeholders of the party became necessary given the exigencies of time, cost, complicity, and possible acrimony that a fresh election of delegates may cause in the party at the eleventh hour to both the party primary and general elections.
He further appealed to the members of the state APC caucus to accept the decision In the overall interest and progress of the party.
The party chairman assured that no aspirant will be imposed as the candidate of the party at the primary elections, stressing that a level playing field will be provided for the aspirants to prove their worth, competence, and popularity before the delegates.
“For obvious reasons, Nasarawa State APC is a very important and strategic chapter of the party in the country, not only it’s the ruling party in the state, but the national chairman of the party who is a renowned elder statesman hails from this state.
“We cannot, therefore, afford to disappoint the national chairman. And His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has repeatedly declared that Nasarawa State is his political laboratory.
“We must put all our hands on deck to ensure faultless party primary, therefore, justifying our acclaimed status of Nasarawa as the beacon of the country’s current democratic dispensation,” he said.
He used the opportunity of the meeting, to appreciate Engineer Sule, for the constant support and valuable assistance, as well as his fatherly role, humble disposition, guidance, and counsel, which have been instrumental to the smooth conduct and appreciation of the party in the state.
While noting the party in Nasarawa State is regarded as a model for others in the nation, Hon Mamman commended the Governor for the synergy existing between the three arms of government which makes for smooth governance in the state.
The state APC Chairman equally commended delegates from the state on their excellent conduct during the recently held national convention of the party in Abuja and the complementary role played by other key stakeholders, especially elected members of both the state and national assemblies.
Responding on behalf of members of the caucus, Senator Godiya Akwashiki (APC, Nasarawa North), moved a motion for the adoption of the list of delegates from the previous congresses of the party.
“I am up now to move a motion that we should adopt that decision for the forthcoming primary election in preparation for the 2023 election, for peaceful election, unity, progress, and victory in all the elections as far as the APC is concerned,” he stated.
Global Times Nigeria had reported that just as the exercise was about to commence into the state constituencies elections a new delicate list said to be compiled at the national secretariat of the party, was brought into a bear in the conduct of the primary election but for which officials of the party at the state level vehemently resisted the use of the new delegate list.
Sources said the new delegate list has new names of delegates, especially for the local government delegates who are expected to elect candidates of the party for the state assembly, Federal House of Representatives, and Senate seats.
The particular local government areas affected are Obi, Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia, Nasarawa Eggon, Keffi, and Nasarawa respective.
