Revealed: How Governor Shettima Allegedly Imposed And Forced Sen. Abubakar Kyari On Borno North APC As Its Senatorial Candidate

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Borno North stand the risk of losing the Senatorial seat to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in that zone if the alleged impunity currently going on in the party in that Senatorial district is nipped in the bud, an investigation by Universal Reporters has revealed.

Findings by this medium revealed that the emergence of Senator Abubakar Kyari as the Senatorial candidate for Borno North Senatorial District, under the APC ahead the 2019 Senatorial elections was alleged to have been manipulated during the APC primary in favour Abu Kyari against Hajiya Fati Kakenna.

Universal Reporters findings revealed that initially there were three senatorial aspirants who purchased nomination forms and were screened by the National Working Committee of the APC; they are Alhaji Fati Kakenna, Dr. Abubakar Ali Kullima, and Hon. Isa Lawan, surprisingly it was gathered that after losing the Governorship primary election on the 30th September, with the help of the Borno Governor, Shettima Kashim, Abubakar  Kyari was smuggled in to contest the Senatorial election, when he just lost the Governorship primary just a few days after.

Curiously, it was shocking according to Universal Reporters findings, that Senator Abubakar Kyari’s name was found on the ballot papers for the Senatorial Seat for Borno North because he actually contested for the Governorship primary as an aspirant and lost.

Investigations by this medium showed he purchased two forms one for Governorship Primary and the second for Senatorial Primary, but with different names, in the INEC form CF002C(ii) for the Governorship primary seen by this medium showed that he used Abubakar Kyari, while in the one for the Senatorial Primary he used Abubakar Shaib Kyari.

The question that comes in his mind is this, why will he use Abubakar Shaib Kyari for the Senate when in his Voters  Card it is showing Abubakar Kyari, in his party membership card he also used Abubakar Kyari.

More findings by Universal Reporters indicates that he bought two forms, one for the governorship and senatorial but he only submitted the governorship form, he also didn’t go for the screening of senatorial aspirants, he didn’t also submit the form, but surprisingly he was cleared.

Universal Reporters learnt that Governor Kashim Shettima was alleged to have been involved in the impunity, criminality, and injustice that brought in Abubakar Kyari, this is because prior to the primary election which Abubakar Kyari’s contested, Governor Kashim Shettima had the meeting with all the aspirants and it was gathered that he allegedly pressured all the aspirants to step down for Kyari, but Kakenna stood her ground, as she declined to step down.

Meanwhile, according to the constitution of the APC, it doesn’t allow an aspirant who has purchased a form for more than one elective position. It was gathered that a party will not field a candidate who didn’t emerge in accordance with the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.

Universal Reporters investigation showed that report of the APC National Appeals Committee that was headed by Professor Oserheimen Osunbor as the Chairman and Barrister Idris Yakubu as Secretary which was submitted 13th of October, 2018.

In that Appeals Committee report seen by Universal Reporters shows that Hajiya Fati Kekanna’s appeal was upheld by the Appeals committee, her appeal reads stated the following; The Sitting Senator Contested for Governorship primary, the Senator didn’t buy the expression of interest and nomination form for the Senate.

The report further stated that an attempt to railroad him with clearance and not in the race was rebuffed by the delegate from the primary.

This medium finding revealed that in fact there was an alleged gang up against aspirants of the party contesting for the primary election in Borno State especially the female aspirants. More so, it was also alleged that the Borno APC stakeholders, government officials had ganged up against all the female aspirants contesting for various positions in different zones at the primaries.

Universal Reporters findings from a source showed Governor Shettima allegedly had changed all delegates for Representative primaries which were declared inconclusive on Thursday by Alhaji Ahmed El-Marzuq, The Chairman of the Electoral Committee.

Gimba, a candidate of the House of Representative from Bama, Ngala and Kalabalge federal constituency, emerged winner in the Thursday’s inconclusive election held in Maiduguri Elkenemi Warrior’s stadium when she polled 76 votes while her closest rival Nur Sharif got 50 votes.

The source told this medium that El-Marzuq declared the election inconclusive after dozens of policemen armed with weapons from the Government house stormed the scene and stopped the election. Kakanna who warned that handpicking candidates for elective positions regardless of the electoral value of such candidates spells doom for the progress of democracy in the state and the country.”

According to the source, it was sad that many aspirants were forced to withdraw after purchasing their forms; some were told to obtain forms but were denied free and fair election.

According to the source; “We agreed after the so-called inconclusive elections to return the following day to continue the election. But immediately I left the place, the Committee connived with the Governor’s agents to stage the primaries in my absence and announced the winner. As I am talking to you, I only receive the news from my house.

For instance, Gimba, and her supporters had slept at the Elkenemi Stadium for three days noting that no explanation was given by the National Working Committee for the delay. It was also learnt that the plan was orchestrated by the National Working Committee and the Borno state government who forced a rejected candidate on the people.