The Bauchi Progressives Forum has rejected the results announced by the Chairman of the Committee for the APC Governorship Primaries in Bauchi State, insisting that no election was conducted and that aspirants were instead pressured to step down.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, the group described the figures announced by the Primaries Committee as fictitious and an insult to the people of Bauchi State.
“There was no governorship primary election in Bauchi State. Let us not attempt to deceive Nigerians. The aspirants were invited by certain individuals and asked to step down for former Governor Muhammad Abubakar. They reluctantly agreed because they were not given the opportunity of a credible direct primary,” the statement said.
“It is distasteful for the Chairman of the Primaries Committee to announce figures of votes that were neither cast nor counted.”
The group further challenged the Committee to produce evidence that voting took place in any ward or local government area across the state.
“We had agents across the state, and there was not a single vote cast or counted anywhere. There were no queues and no accreditation of voters. So where did these figures come from?” the group queried.
“We challenge the Committee to produce a single photograph showing party members queueing to vote anywhere in Bauchi State. Such evidence does not exist.”
Speaking further, Mallam Abdullahi said the development raised serious questions about the democratic credentials of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“No APC member in Bauchi State who watched the video of those figures being announced would believe that the party truly represents democracy or progressive ideals. This is far removed from the principles upon which the party was founded, and it is deeply insulting to the people of Bauchi State,” he said.
The Forum clarified that it was not disputing the emergence of Muhammad Abubakar as the APC governorship candidate, but rather the claim that he emerged through an election.
“Muhammad Abubakar emerged as the ‘forced consensus’ candidate. Some aspirants initially opposed the arrangement and preferred a direct primary, but two eventually agreed, albeit reluctantly, to his emergence.
“What we expected was for the party to openly state that he emerged through ‘a forced consensus’, not to falsely claim that an election was conducted. That narrative is simply untrue,” the statement added.
