Don’t leave APC after primaries, El-Rufai begs aspirants
Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai
• Chieftain, supporters defect to PRP
Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has appealed to aspirants in the state not to leave the party after the primaries.However, some of the party members, who felt that only direct primaries could throw up credible candidates for the 2019 general elections, have registered their protest.
El-Rufai, while speaking at the Kaduna APC Emerging Youth Summit at the weekend, craved the indulgence of all aspirants to support whoever emerges as the party’s candidate, for it to win the general election.
The governor said instead of leaving the party, it would be better for them to rally behind whoever wins the primary elections, while they bid their time.By supporting the party to win, he said, those who lose APC primaries are also paving way for getting appointments.
Said he: “We have many people aspiring for different positions under APC in the state, and among them, only one person will emerge in the primary. If you lose out from the primary, try to support whoever emerges and wait for your time.”
Meanwhile, former director-general of the Buhari Campaign Organisation in Kagarko Council of Kaduna, Shunom Adinga, has defected to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), citing lack of democracy dividends in the state.
The APC chieftain and his supporters joined PRP during a rally in the council at the weekend. Adinga also alleged that “the current mandate of the Kagarko council chairman on the platform of the APC is a stolen one.”
While advising the council chairman to better the lives of the people in the area, Adinga said he should use the opportunity to do justice to all and sundry regardless of party affiliation.Disclosing his ambition to represent Kagarko in the House Assembly in the 2019, he added: “Regardless of the party affiliation, I am offering myself for effective and qualitative representation.”Chairman of PRP in Kagarko, John Abubakar, welcomed Adinga, stating that such act would attract development to the area.
