Primaries: Sacked Zamfara APC declares Idris, Yari winners

The sacked leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has returned Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris as winner of last Wednesday’s botched governorship primary election in the state.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had announced the dissolution of Zamfara APC exco led by Alhaji Lawali M. Liman.

But the embattled Liman, who insisted he remained the chairman of the party, had also declared Governor Abdulaziz Yari as winner of Zamfara West senatorial zone’s primary election in the state, who he said had scored 166,610 votes.

Alhaji Liman said the state government-backed Shehu Idris polled 310,380 votes to clinch the governorship ticket of the party; while Senator Kabiru Marafa, a member of the G8 fighting Governor Yari, came second with only 54,607 votes.

He said the other governorship contenders scored votes as follows: Alhaji Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi 5,514; Deputy Governor Ibrahim Wakkala Muhammad 517; Alhaji Sagir Hamidu Gusau 102; Alhaji Aminu Sani Jaji 12,039; Alhaji Abu Magaji 340; Alhaji Dauda Lawal Dare 5,396; and Brigadier General Mansur Dan Ali (rtd) 292 votes.

However, the Major General Abubakar Mustapha Gana-led Zamfara State Electoral Committee, said the results announced by Alhaji Liman could not stand, adding that they would submit their report to the national headquarters that there was no primaries in Zamfara.

Political parties had up till 12am on Sunday to complete their primary elections for various offices; and findings at the APC headquarters in Abuja indicated that Zamfara was unable to beat the dateline.

In a WhatsApp message, yesterday, Marafa said Governor Yari should be expelled from the party for committing what he called “treason against APC.”

“The NWC should declare his actions as such; expel him and all the people so announced from the party. This will serve as a deterrence to others that may contemplate taking similar steps in the future,” it also said.

Marafa who chairs the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), called on wellmeaning Nigerians to condemn the governor’s actions.

Also, the campaign office of Wakkala has described the declaration as an exercise in futility, saying it would not stand because party guidelines had been grossly violated.