PDP to conduct fresh governorship primary as Gov. Bala rejoin race

Bauchi State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commenced preparations for a fresh governorship Primary election.

The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Yayanuwa Zainabari, confirmed this on Tuesday.

Recalls that former Secretary to Bauchi State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Kashim, had clinched the ticket of the party in the primary conducted last week.

The Returning Officer for the election, Hassan Ahmed Grema, had declared Kashim, the sole aspirant, as winner, saying he polled a total of 655 votes out of the 656votes, while one was invalid.

Shortly after the declaration, Kashim said he had accepted the mandate given to him by the delegates.

“The contest has just begun for 2023. The PDP is ready to beat every other opposition,” he had said.

However, there were reports of disagreement between the gubernatorial candidate and Governor Bala Mohammed after the primary.

According to reports, Kashim refused to hand over the ticket to the governor who lost the PDP presidential ticket to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Daily Trust cannot independently verify the reported friction between the duo.

Mohammed, a first term governor, polled just 20 votes in the presidential primary.

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But PDP spokesman in Bauchi said a fresh exercise would be conducted because Kashim said he no longer had interest in the election.

He said, “Former Secretary to the Government of Bauchi State, Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, has withdrawn his candidature and submitted his candidature since he stepped down on his own the party is left with no option but to get his replacement through fresh Primary election.”

Yayanuwa said the party is following the process as enshrined in the law of the party and the electoral law.

“We are following the process and we will conduct fresh governorship Primary election.”

“Governor Bala contested for the presidential ticket based on the calls from well-meaning Nigerians, he answered their calls and now the People of Bauchi want him to contest for the second term. It is also left for the people of the state to decide, and whatever the people decide will be done, governor is somebody who answers the calls of his people,” he said.