As part of ongoing deal for a soft landing for Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed, brother to President Buhari’s wife, Aisha, there is pressure on five aspirants to step down for him in Adamawa Central Senatorial District race.
Ahmed is already vying for governorship ticket with Governor Jibrilla Bindow, but following signals that the governor might be difficult to defeat, a Plan B was being perfected last night.
It was gathered that representations have been made to the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress(APC) not to humiliate the First Lady and her brother. One of those behind soft-landing for the First Lady’s brother is a former Head of State(names withheld).
“Some forces in the Presidency and Adamawa State are now saying that the minimum concession they would accept for Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed (aka MODI) is to disqualify all aspirants for Adamawa Central Senatorial District and give the First Lady’s brother automatic ticket for the seat.
“They want to ask five aspirants to step down for Dr. Ahmed if he is unable to defeat Governor Jibrilla Bindow at the primaries.
“The affected aspirants are a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority, Alh. Umar Suleiman; former Chairman, Fufore Local Government, Barrister Aliyu Wakili Boya; ex-Secretary, Nigerian Red Cross, Barrister Bello Hamman Diram; a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) and Alh. Ibrahim Waziri(Bappa Waziri), who is a die-hard supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari from ANPP days.
“The greatest challenge at hand is that the First Lady’s brother never bought form to contest for Senate, he was never screened for Senatorial ticket, yet some forces in the presidency want him to represent Adamawa Central Senatorial District.
“All APC members in the National Assembly from Adamawa State (including a Senator and seven members of the House of Representatives) have protested to the national headquarters of the party on the latest development.”
Meanwhile, the First Lady’s brother has written a petition to the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole demanding immediate reconstitution of Adamawa Gubernatorial Election Committee.
In a 30th September protest letter, signed by Dr. Ahmed, he said if his observations were not addressed, he might not participate in the governorship primaries scheduled for today.
The petition said in part: “Whilst we confirm that all necessary avenues and options were considered in the meeting held in respect of the state gubernatorial primary election, to enable the conduct of free , fair and acceptable outcomes, we hereby wish to notify your office of the following violations against the internal democratic process of our party-the APC.
* The delegate tags were printed by the state government
* The delegate list as at 8pm was not available for our scrutiny and confirmation
* The venue of the primary elections is not well-secured, illuminated and it’s raining heavily.
“Contrary to the directive of the National Working Committee of the party, which suspended the State Executive Committee for six months, it is to our greatest dismay that some of the suspended State Executive Committee members are parading themselves in acting capacity; and were constituted by the state government as the Local Organizing Committee, in which the interest of other candidates were not considered as directed by NWC.
“Finally, it is worthy of note that all the above issues were presented to the Primary Election Committee but are not taken into consideration as they were blatantly ignored.
“It is therefore our candid observation that this election cannot be conducted properly; neither will this exercise be free, fair and credible.
“We therefore call on the good office of NWC to immediately reconstitute the Adamawa State Gubernatorial Primary Election Committee. Unless our observations are properly addressed, we cannot continue to participate in the process of primaries.”