By Admin
There are indications that Consensus mode of primary elections of the All Progressives Congress, APC will not work in Abuja South Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Stakeholders of the ruling party could not reach an agreement after three days of intense negotiations in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Kuje area councils over the imposition of a consensus candidate for the party primaries.
Party faithfuls gathered at voting points in Kwali area council from 8am on Saturday to vote for the contestants but dispersed at about 2pm when officials, who were supposed to conduct the election did not show up at the venues.
The party members were seen brandishing their membership cards with joy and eagerly waiting for voting to commence, but left the venue disappointed when nothing happened till 4pm on Saturday.
Places visited by our correspondent to monitor the primaries include Pilot/Demonstration Primary school, Gwagwalada and Science Pilot Primary school Kwali.
In an interview with the outgoing Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council and APC House of Representatives Aspirant, Abubakar Jibrin Giri said concensus will not work in the Federal Capital Territory and he accused defectors from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of championing the method to enable them grab power through the back door.
Giri said that members of the party will resist attempts to bypass due process and impose unpopular aspirants on the party.
He insisted that the three aspirants contesting for the House of Representatives seat in the zone should be allowed to test their popularity and whoever wins should be supported to fly the party’s flag in the 2027 general elections.
Giri accused the incumbent Federal lawmaker, Abdulrahman Ajiya, who is also an aspirant, of wasting four years in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly without doing anything for the people.
He promised to make a huge difference, if elected, by making himself accessible to the people , improving their welfare and attracting modern infrastructural development for Gwagwalada Area Council and other parts of the Federal Constituency.
Speaking with newsmen in Kwali, the former FCT Commissioner for the National Population Commission (NPC) and former Chairman of Kwali Area Council Hon. Joseph Shazin Kwali advised the leadership of the party to abide by the wishes of the majority and allow free and fair primary election in Abuja South.
Shazin who left Kwali Central ward disappointed due to unavailability of officials to conduct primary elections, pointed out that consensus arrangements are fraught with dangers and may lead to people leaving the party.
“The people are willing to elect their favourite candidate. This can be seen from the large turnout at the Pilot Science Primary School, Kwali but there are no officials to conduct the election.
“Meetings are still going on about producing a consensus candidate but from my interactions with the aspirants, it might not be possible to have a consensus candidate. So, people should be allowed to vote the person they want,” Hon. Shazin remarked.
Voting is currently going on in Gwagwalada as no indication that such will happen in Kwali and Abaji anytime soon as Kwali aspirant, Danladi Chiya was said to have been holding meeting with other two aspirants from Abaji over consensus arrangement.
Four aspirants to include; Abu Giri, Danladi Chiya, Yahaya Musa and Abdulrahaman Ajiya are contesting for the seat of Abuja South Federal House of Representatives Constituency in the 2027 elections.