By Jasmine Okogerie
The Bauchi Progressives Forum has rejected the results announced by the Chairman of the Committee for the All Progressives Congress (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.
According to the Forum, there was no governorship primary election in the state, contrary to claims made by the committee.
“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 read.
The group maintained that it was unacceptable for the committee to announce vote figures that were allegedly neither cast nor counted.
“It is distasteful for the Chairman of the Primaries Committee to announce figures of votes that were neither cast nor counted,” the statement added.
The Forum further challenged the committee to provide evidence that voting took place in any ward or local government area across Bauchi 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, Abdullahi said the incident had raised serious concerns about the democratic credentials of the APC in the state.
“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, however, clarified that it was not opposing the emergence of former Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the party’s governorship candidate, but rather disputing the narrative that he emerged through a transparent election process.
“Muhammad Abubakar emerged as the ‘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 said.