The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State has adopted the son of late former Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Abacha as its governorship candidate for next year’s election. Africans & the diaspora
Daily Trust says that the decision followed the withdrawal of the former nominee, Muhammad Bello Dalha.
Addressing an extended state executive committee meeting in Kano yesterday, the state party Chairman Dr. Bello Gambo Bichi said the affirmation was carried out in conformity with the party’s constitution and election laws.
The last time we conducted a primary election, Muhammad Bello Dalha was declared winner. “But after consultations with interested parties in Kano and Abuja, the candidate decided to withdraw.
“The law says that a replacement primary has to be held because of the withdrawal. And that is why we are here today. “We have also confirmed Muhammad Sani Abacha as the gubernatorial candidate of our great party in Kano State,” Bichi explained.
The confirmation was followed by a replacement primary election which was won by Abacha, according to the panel chairman, Dr. Abba Abdullahi.
Abdullahi said the exercise was in accordance with the party’s guidelines and electoral regulations and Abacha had met all the prerequisites for nomination.
The party also worked out its internal factional issues in the spirit of reconciliation by yielding the deputy governorship post to the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki group.
Consequently, the party’s former factional Chairman and former commissioner for land and agriculture, Alhaji Yusuf Ado Kibiya was picked as the new deputy governorship candidate.
After a lot of consultations and reconciliation, we have reached an agreement to award the deputy governorship post to the Turaki faction here in Kano. With this, Kano PDP has no faction anymore. “We have reconciled,” Bichi stated, adding that the process was seen by members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Some National Assembly and State Assembly candidates were also changed in the reconciliation process to accommodate the faction,” the PDP chairman further said.
He said the party was now united and “waxing stronger” ahead of the polls.
Abacha has been the party’s candidate in elections after elections.
He came a distant third behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 governorship election, won by the then New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
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