Aisha Buhari lashes out at culture of impunity under Oshiomhole as her brother loses Adamawa governorship bid

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari's wife Aisha has faulted the manner in which some of the primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were conducted over the weekend warning that the party is now the victim of the impunity of its chairman Adams Oshiomhole.

Over the last week, the APC held primaries in all 36 states for governorship, national assembly and state houses of assembly elections as well as for the presidential polls in which President Buhari himself was returned. Many of these polls were marred with irregularities as numerous governors imposed their candidates on the party, some contestants were forced to step down and in many cases, elections did not even hold.

Taking a swipe at the APC leadership, Hadjia Aisha Buhari regretted that Mr Oshiomhole, despite his activism background, could allow such conduct under his watch, adding that  the conduct negated the principle of change that the APC stands for. Apparently bitter about the fact that her brother Mahmood Halilu lost out in the Adamawa State gubernatorial elections, Hadjia Buhari called on Nigerians to rise up against this impunity and asked voters to urge aspirants to be committed to the provision of basic amenities.

Hadjia Buhari said: “It is disheartening to note that some aspirants used their hard earned money to purchase nomination forms, got screened, cleared and campaigned vigorously yet found their names omitted on the election day. These forms were bought at exorbitant prices.

“Many others contested and yet had their results delayed, fully knowing that automatic tickets have been given to other people. All Progressives Congress, being a party whose cardinal principle is change and headed by a comrade/activist whose main concern is for the common man, yet, such impunity could take place under its watch.

“It is important for the populace to rise against impunity and for voters to demand from aspirants to be committed to the provision of basic amenities such as potable drinking water and basic health care  Given this development, one will not hesitate than dissociate from such unfairness, be neutral and speak for the voiceless.

Mahmood , Hadjia Buhari's younger brother sought the APC gubernatorial ticket in  Adamawa State but lost out to Governor Jibrilla Bindow, who was returned for a second term. Ahmed Jibrin, the chairman of the APC Committee on the Adamawa Governorship Primary Election, has declared Governor Bindow the winner of the primary with 193,656 votes to Mahmood's 15,738 votes came and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu's 8,364 votes.

Both Mahmood and Mallam Ribadu, the former Economics and Financial Crimes Commission chairman, have rejected the results of the election, saying their agents at various local governments were barred from election centres and in some instances, threatened with violence. They both accused local party officials of manipulating the process in favour of the governor.