|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Francis Nansak
Arc. Shehu Tukur has been declared winner of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Nasarawa West Senatorial District primary election ahead of the general election in 2023.
According to Major Gen. (Rtd) Ahmed Jibrin, Chairman of the APC Electoral Committee for the exercise held in Keffi local government area of the state on Saturday said Tukur polled 179 votes to defeat Barr. Labaran Magaji who came second with 114 votes.
He said a total of 294 delegates were expected for the exercise, but only 293 were accredited to vote while one delegate was absent.
“With this result and by the powers conferred on my by the national secretariat of our great party, the APC, I declare Architect Shehu Tukur as the winner of this election.
“I wish to use this opportunity to thank the security agencies, the aspirants for the majority they exhibited in controlling their supporters.
“I also thank the press for being with us all along and we pray that our candidate that emerge will be the candidate that will emerge during the general elections in 2023,” he said.
In an interview with newsmen, Tukur appreciated delegates who voted him and pledged to vigorously defend their interests if voted to represent them at the general election in 2023.
He admitted that the process had been transparent, peaceful but also hectic and thank God for the successful conclusion of the primary election.
“APC is a family and I will like to call on my co contestant to join me in ensuring that APC wins not only in Nasarawa West but the whole of Nasarawa state and Nigeria at large” He said.
Reacting , Barrister Magaji congratulated Tukur for emerging winner of the contest and also congratulated himself for making it to the end.
“For me alone to fight this battle to this level ,shows that there is hope ahead of us. Everybody knows the institutions, characters and personalities I withstand till date but I stand tall to arrive at this level.
“So I want to congratulate myself, congratulate my teeming supporters and APC as the party to beat in the general elections,” he said.
Apex News Exclusive reports that the keenly contested primary election did not conclude without controversy which led to delay for several days.
The controversy was that the original delegates list for the election was allegedly altered thereby forcing a frontrunner in the contest, Hon. Ahmed Wadada to withdraw in protest.
Despite the withdrawal of Wadada, APC went ahead to conduct the election for the remaining two aspirants, Tukur and Magaji, on Sunday May 29th but as the process was ongoing, angry youths broke security barriers and violently disrupted the process leading to postponement,but was however conducted on Saturday,4th June 2022, as thousands of Barrister Labaran Magaji s supporters weep profusely.
