Paul Orude, Bauchi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State has concluded arrangements to conduct and Local Government primaries to elect councilorship and chairmanship candidates ahead of the Local Government election slated for October 17.
The State Secretary of the Party, Bako Husseini Dissina, disclosed this to journalists at the APC Secretariat in Bauchi on Saturday.
Disina said that the ward congress election would be held in all the 323 political wards across the state on Saturday 15 while that of local government congress in the 20 LG of the state would take place on Sunday August 17.
‘We are carrying out the exercises according to the time-table released by the State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) which stipulated that LG elections would be conducted on October 17
‘We are, therefore, conducting our congresses in line with the time table which was given to us in writing.
‘We have been working round the clock, informing our local government officials to mobilise those that desire to contests and we are glad that they have done a great job because in some local governments you will find at least five aspirants who have indicated their interest to run,’ he said
The APC scribe said the huge number of people who have turned up to contest indicate that the people of the State are strongly behind the party,
‘The feedback we are getting is wonderful and as a result of that we have prepared well for the forthcoming Local Government elections.
‘Our officials that would ensure a successful ward and Local Government congresses have been mobilised and drafted to the fields in all the 323 wards and by tomorrow, (August 17) another set of officials are set to conduct the Local Government congress in the 20 Local Government,’ he said.
Dissina said that the party has given a level playing field to all aspirants to contest and would not impose any person on the people.
‘From the ward to the LG we have prepared ballot papers that have the name of registered members to vote their aspirants of their choice,’ he said.
On some speculation that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) might use its position to win the LG election, Dissina was confident that the APC would be victorious at the polls.
‘Politics is a game of number and election has its rules. It is the electorate that will vote, not angels or spirit. Our confidence is that of it is the electorate’s vote that will count, then there is no ward or Local Government that we will not win by God’s grace because we know our strength. If the election is free, and fair, APC will have the day in the State,’ he said.
He called on party faithful to use their vote wisely to elect credible candidates that will give the APC an upper hand in the forthcoming elections
‘We are a party that is law abiding. I call on APC to always follow law and order and shun every behavior that the electoral acts prohibit. Abiding by law and order is what makes the APC to be attractive to the people of the State, so I want to call on all our party faithful to continue to be lawabiding in the congresses and the main election,’ he said