News Editor
By David Odama
The immediate past publicity secretary and Chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress in Nasarawa state, Chief Otaru Douglas on Sunday expressed fears over the governor Abdullahi Sule’s decision to announce his preferred candidate to succeed him ahead of 2027.
Chief Douglas in a warded statement made available to Journalists in Lafia, was apprehensive that if care was not taken and proactive measure evolved to positively address the the governor’s sole candidate would spell doom for the party and the state in 2027
“While the dusts occasioned by the gross failure in managing diverse interests arising from the conduct of the recently concluded state congresses, the party in a macabre dance of shame desperately announced a preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
“Such political insensitivity if not checked has the tendency of reuning the party’s chances at the general election given the rising presence of opposition political parties in the state.
“It is however unfortunate that power-hungry party leaders have sidelined rightful owners and stakeholders, ignoring other gubernatorial aspirants to anoint a preferred candidate without input from key stakeholders or the electoral college.
In a desperate bid to cover their tracks, they’ve hurriedly approached President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to present a candidate without the anointing of the kingmakers or electoral college. Such moves if not checked posses a fatal damage on the chances of the party to delivering the state for Mr president come 2027.
“What a blatant disregard for democratic principles!, What a political sacrilege! It is unacceptable”, the APC Chieftain declared.
The APC Chieftain who declared that governor Abdullahi Sule has done his best in the last seven years, however stated that he would not stoop too low to criticize the governor.
” I’ll say it again: I won’t stoop too low to criticizing Governor Abdullahi Sule. He has done well to the best of his conviction, but letting the party run on autopilot for this long has been his biggest mistake.
Unfortunately, desperados in the party took advantage, hoodwinked him into believing all was well, defying voices of reason like mine. Some party officials privatized the party, treating it like their personal enterprise – and this is the result”, Chief Otaru noted.
According to the APC former spokesperson, “State Chairman Dr. Aliyu Bello should have known that the people have the final say. Failing to consult former governors; His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Adamu and His Excellency Senator Umaru Tanko Almakura and other stakeholders before choosing a candidate, under the guise of the governor’s preference, goes against democratic principles” the statement added.
While accusing the party officials of deceiving the people with claims that the party will still go on with the direct primaries as instructed by NEC, Otaru Douglas maintained that it should be on records that the party chairman has compromised.
“Though they’re deceiving people with claims that the party will still go on with the direct primaries as instructed by NEC, but let it be on record that the chairman has compromised his position.
” His bias by presenting his friend, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as the preferred candidate automatically disqualifies him from overseeing a fair primary. If he values his integrity.
The Party Chieftain urged the party chairman to consider stepping aside to allow for a free, fair and credible primary election as claimed.
