El-Rufai Vs Shehu Sani: Controversy lingers over APC Kaduna Central ticket

It has been back and forth on the issue of whether the All Progressives Congress, APC, ticket for Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone has been concluded or not. The National Working Committee, NWC, of the APC, had on Tuesday, released a list of aspirants it has cleared to contest primaries across the country and the list […]

It has been back and forth on the issue of whether the All Progressives Congress, APC, ticket for Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone has been concluded or not.

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the APC, had on Tuesday, released a list of aspirants it has cleared to contest primaries across the country and the list indicated that for the Kaduna Central senatorial ticket only Senator Shehu has the party’s endorsement.

The names of the four other aspirants, including the special adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on political matters, Uba Sani who had bought forms to vie for the ticket were missing from the list.

El-Rufai who is believed to be backing Uba Sani for the ticket ran to Abuja to protest the automatic ticket given to Shehu Sani but since then, the NWC of the party is yet to come out with a clear position on the matter.

Uba Sani ran to the courts and secured an injunction barring the party from holding a primary in respect to the ticket.

As at Saturday morning, the uncertainty lingered as those in support Uba Sani claim the NWC has reversed the decision while supporters of the senator say the decision of the NWC still stands.

Both sides have been posting documents purportedly from the NWC to back their claims.

The Kaduna APC in line with its position that the NWC has called for a primary has called its members and all the aspirants to be at the Murtala Square to elect the party’s flag bearer.

But Shehu Sani insists the primary is uncalled for saying it is illegal since he remains the only aspirant cleared by the party to vie for the ticket.

The Senator said in a press statement that he totally disassociates from the “Kangaroo APC primary election.”

He said, “I cannot be part of a fraud scripted by El rufai aimed at imposing his aide,Uba Sani. I directed that no person or group of person should represent me as agents in the nightly conducted primaries. ”

Uba Sani on the other hand says “his unlawful exclusion” from the list of those cleared to participate in the senatorial primaries for Kaduna Central has been upturned.

“Today, our party, the APC, has upheld the tenets of inclusion and has insisted on democratic primaries as the mode of selecting its candidates for the 2019 general elections. We welcome this fresh embrace of democratic tenets,” he said.

The primary is scheduled to begin from 9:00 am.