From Teryima Ajijah, Jos
Following delay in the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party delegates elections meant to select a candidate toward conduct of bye-election for Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency in Plateau State, slated for February 26, 2022, an aspirant, Suleiman Kwande has rejected consensus candidature.
Kwande made this known in Jos Tuesday, due to what he called the unnecessary delay in the conduct of the party primaries among the eight aspirants. He also said his expectations for a transparent elections seems to be tampered with.
According to Kwande, who is a former lawmaker who once represented the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency twice, it is certain that if the delegate election is held transparently, he will emerge winner.
He said the APC party primaries which was slated for 9:am Tuesday morning was yet to commence, as at 7:00pm.
Kwande insisted that he will not accept consensus candidature, saying, “no one has contacted me to that effect, 8 of us bought forms for the primaries, as for me, I will not step down for anyone.”
He maintained that he is contesting because he has something better to offer. “A Legislator is like a bottle of wine, the older the better,” he stated.
The Voice gathered that there are rumours that other aspirants are being compelled to step down for an aspirant, Joseph Abby, who recently resigned as Commissioner of Commerce to contest the bye-election.
However, it was learnt that most aspirants have refused to step down, which necessitated the delay in the delegates election.