.jpeg)
The Bauchi Progressives Forum has rejected the results announced by the committee that conducted the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Bauchi State, describing the figures released as fictitious and misleading.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, the group insisted that no governorship primary election was held in the state and alleged that aspirants were instead pressured to step down for former Governor Muhammad Abubakar.
According to the Forum, the aspirants were invited by some party stakeholders and persuaded to accept a consensus arrangement rather than participate in a credible direct primary election.
“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.
The group further faulted the Chairman of the Primaries Committee for announcing vote figures allegedly not backed by any actual voting process.
“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 challenged the committee to provide 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.
It also demanded photographic evidence of voters participating in the exercise, insisting that no such evidence exists.
Speaking further, Abdullahi said the development raised concerns about the democratic credentials of the APC in Bauchi 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 Muhammad Abubakar as the APC governorship candidate, but objecting to claims that he emerged through a democratic election.
“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,” the statement noted.
“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,” it added.