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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has said that the high number of aspirants that have indicated interest to contest in the 2023 general election in the state, has shown that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) remains the party to beat.
Sule disclosed this on Tuesday during a meeting with the APC executive committee members from the local government and state, at the Government House in Lafia.
According to the Governor, the high number of aspirants that have so far indicated interest to contest for the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and senate, is a good omen and shows that the people of the state are in love with the party.
Sule said he’s not worried about the high number of aspirants turning up to contest for positions in the coming general elections, but appealed to the party to go about its activities in fairness to all the aspirants.
Recalling the experience from the recently concluded congresses in the state, Sule noted that it’s not possible to please every aspirant but that the party should remain fair in its dealings, the aspirants will have no cause to disagree with any outcome.
“Let us be careful in the sense that so far, we have had very peaceful state. We had our registration exercise going peacefully, our congresses going peacefully. I know you can’t go through this primaries and finish peacefully.
“But if you are doing it in fairness, even if somebody is angry, he will understand that you have been fair to them. But if we come out clearly that we are not fair to somebody, the people will fight,” he stated.
He further commended the party for taking proactive measures to regulate activities leading to the primary elections billed for next month.
“This perhaps is one of the few states we are seeing in the whole country, that the leadership of the party, even though the forms are yet to start selling, you are already thinking of how to manage the primaries. I think this is a highly commendable initiative and effort,” he said.
On the call for him to regulate activities of some of his political appointees who are seen to be taking sides with particular aspirants, Sule warned his political appointees against dropping his name to curry favour, while calling on party officials to do their best not to be at the forefront of supporting any aspirant.
“I can assure you from my own end, I am not sending any political appointee. I don’t want any political appointee going out there to say it’s the Governor that sent me,” he stated.
“Let us be careful in the sense that so far, we have had very peaceful state. We had our registration exercise going peacefully, our congresses going peacefully,” the Governor said.
Regarding who becomes the presidential flag bearer of the party, Sule stressed that there is the need for circumspection because the national chairman of the party is from the state, and will not want to send the wrong signal to the people.
“Because for the fact that I have the national chairman in my state, the direction I go may be seen as the direction of the national chairman and it will send a wrong signal,” he said.
Earlier, in an opening remarks, Nasarawa State Chairman of the APC, Hon. John Mamman, said the party saw the need to meet with chairmen, secretaries and members of working committees of the party from across all the local governments and state, with a view to generating a working data to guide the party ahead of the coming primary elections.
Mamman disclosed that a fallout of the meeting was the decision banning party officials from leading political campaigns of particular aspirants.
“As referees, we cannot afford to become players. Because every person looking for this position will come to the party. It’s on that note that no party official should be seen leading a campaign of another contender. Since they are going to come before us,” Hon Mamman said.
He further disclosed that, so far, 198 aspirants have shown interest to contest for the state assembly, House of Representatives and senate.
Daily Sun reports that the state assembly Aspirants are 163 with Akwanga 7, Awe 5, Doma 16, Keana 7, Keffi 12, Karu 23, Kokona 16, Lafia 20, Nasarawa 16, Nasarawa Eggon 17, Obi 14, Toto 5 and Wamba 5.
For the Federal House of Representatives, Daily Sun also reports that the Northern zone has 7 for the two constituencies, Southern zone has 5, with 4 aspirants gunning for the Lafia/Obi constituency, while only one candidate has indicated interest to contest the Obi/Keana/Doma constituency.
For the senate, Northern zone has 4 aspirants, Southern zone has 2 while the Western zone has two aspirants also.
The chairman however said the figures remain tentative as sales of forms is yet to commence.
For the governorship seat, Hon Mamman indicated that only in the Northern zone, there is the possibility of a candidate emerging to contest against the incumbent.
“In all the local governments, I have asked in earnest, whether anybody has held private meetings or they heard somebody who intend to contest for governorship. I think it’s only Akwanga that is having the half,” he stated.
