Buhari’s Former Aide, Bashir Ahmad, Demands APC Primary Cancellation After Losing

Bashir Ahmad

President Muhammadu Buhari's former aide,  Bashir Ahmad, has rejected the outcome of the primary of the All Progressives Congress for the Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi Federal Constituency in Kano State which he lost to Mahmoud Abdullahi Gaya.

Ahmad, who enjoys a large following on social media, said this in a statement he posted on Facebook on Saturday, adding that he and his supporters were denied access to the venue of the exercise.

The statement read in part, “I hereby categorically reject the process and proceeds of the primary election conducted on May 27, 2022 to elect the APC flag bearer for the position of member House of Representatives for Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi Federal Constituency.

“I offered myself to serve my constituents as best I can and I would have been willing to accept whatever outcome if it was free, fair and credible. I am sad to say that what ensued at the venue of the primaries highly threatens the credibility and integrity the APC has built over two political cycles. It is therefore a great disservice to my people and our great party, to be silent about such injustice.”

Ahmad, who resigned his appointment in order to participate in the primary, maintained that election at the primaries stage requires delegates to cast their votes and a winner emerges with the majority votes.

He noted that this implies that there could not have been any voting process that occurred considering the majority of the delegates were neither allowed to vote nor even granted access to the venue.

“No document that supposedly validates the election was signed by my agents because they were also denied access to the voting area.

“On my arrival to the venue as an aspirant too, I was denied access to the voting area. My supporters who were around the premises for the primaries resisted the unjust treatment I was given and attempted insisting on my entrance into the voting area,” he said.

The former presidential aide said due to his strong belief that his ambition was not worth anybody’s life, he decided to vacate the premises in order to douse the friction and for the safety of the majority of the delegates and supporters who were being targeted by thugs.

He called on the stakeholders of the APC to, as a matter of urgency, save the reputation of the party by insisting on the members of the electoral committee to conduct a fresh, free and fair election.

“I would like to commend and extend profound gratitude to the delegates who despite the ill-treatment, refused to be intimidated by anyone. I would also like to send my appreciation to my supporters who have always been with me from the onset.

“To be silent about the injustice we have experienced, is to disappoint those supporters. I implore all to be calm and remain the law-abiding citizens I know you to be because I still have faith in the APC that this spectacular blunder, we have experienced on May 27, 2022 shall be annulled and credible primary election shall be conducted,” he said