APC senatorial aspirant faults Kogi primary, calls for fresh election

A senatorial aspirant for Kogi Central on the platform of APC, Hajia Ramatu Attah, has rejected the outcome of last week’s senatorial primary election in the zone.

Attah insisted that, “There was no APC primaries in the zone, and no candidate emerged.”

The Spokesperson for the Hajia Ramatau Tasalla Shehu Attah Campaign Organisation, Mr Yusuf Abdulkadir, disclosed this at a news conference in Lokoja on Tuesday.

According to her, the press conference is imperative in order to set the records straight and make sure that the events of the last few days are truly presented to the world.

“I wish to dissociate myself from the kangaroo Kogi Central senatorial district primary elections held on May 28, 2022 at Kahal Cinema, Okene.

“I want posterity and history to note that there was no room for fair play and equity. We were not given equal opportunities because the election was just a predetermined selection and not an election.

“As aspirants, we were neither at anytime allowed access to the delegates’ lists nor obliged with copies.

“There was no accreditation of delegates, and when we requested for reason, we were informed that the delegates had been accredited by their respective Local Government chairmen.

“We were still in shock that Alh. Yahaya Karaku was the Returning Officer, contrary to APC Guidelines; this is a gross aberration of the rules,” she said.

She noted that all the manipulations that occurred during the purported primaries were done to favour the preferred candidate, Mr Abubakar Ohere, a former Kogi Commissioner for Works.

Attah stressed that in spite of their persistent insistence that due process should be followed and guidelines complied with, they were ignored and the voting went ahead.

She added that at this point, herself and other aspirants were left with no option than to stage a walkout and left the venue on protest.

“Only for us to read on the social media some fictitious and laughable results with imaginary votes allotted to us.

“All I asked for is a level playing field; let the people choose who they want, to ensure internal democracy,” Attah said.

She, however, advised her supporters to remain calm and law abiding in spite of the obvious manipulation.

She enjoined her supporters to join  Gov. Yahaya Bello in his beautiful work of maintaining a peaceful state, which he had worked to restore over the years.

“I am very sure that His Excellency would not condone the assault on democracy as exhibited by his political appointees, who were present in their full security compliment at the venue characterised by intimidation in broad day light.

“We were aware of the flagrant irregularities of the whole process, neglect to the Electoral Act and guidelines, non-compliance with rules and convinced that with such evidences, the selection cannot stand,” she said.

She expressed concern over the inability of the APC leadership to have conducted fresh primaries, adding that her next line of action would be communicated to the media appropriately.

Meanwhile, former Kogi Commissioner for Works, Mr Abubakar Ohere, was announced the winner of Kogi Central Senatorial APC primary election after scoring 260 votes.

Ohere defeated two other aspirants, Ramatu Attah and Alh. Dalhatu Sheriff, who polled 13 and 11 votes, respectively.