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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said it was yet to recognise any governorship candidate as flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State.
Mohammed Sani Abacha, son of former military head of State and Sadiq Aminu Wali, son of one time Nigeria’s foreign minister, both emerged governorship candidates in parallel congresses conducted by two factions of the party in the state. Both candidates are laying claims as the authentic governorship candidate.
However, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Riskuwa Shehu, said the commission has not received any information from the party or parties regarding their respective flag-bearers.
“The recognition of a candidate for any election is the responsibility of the party and after the conduct of primaries, the party is expected to forward to the commission the candidates and their running mates.”
The REC said the only responsibility of INEC in party primaries is to serve as observer, adding that the Commission did exactly that in the case of Kano PDP governorship race.
“The commission was at the governorship primary of Muhammad Sani Abacha as observer but was not present at the Sadiq Wali primary,” he said.
Sources familiar with ongoing tussle for position of the party governorship flag-bearers explained that the matter has since moved to the national headquarters, assuring that the flagbearer would soon be made public.
