Bala Mohammed Eyes Second Term As PDP Is Set To Conduct Fresh Governorship Primary Election
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State is set to conduct a fresh governorship primary election following the withdrawal of the Gubernatorial Candidate of the party, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim from the race, citing personal reasons for the decision he took.
Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed is seeking a chance to contest for a second term in office after losing the presidential primary of his party, the PDP.
The governorship ticket of his party has been in the hands of Ibrahim Kashim.
Former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barrister Ibrahim Kashim won the ticket of the party in the primary conducted last week unopposed, with 655 votes.
His entry into the race was seen as a proxy for Governor Bala Mohammed in the event he failed to clinch the PDP presidential ticket, which he eventually lost last Saturday, scoring just 20 delegate votes.
After losing, Governor Mohammed is said to have requested to be given the governorship ticket to enable him run for a second term
Reports said Kashim, against earlier “agreement”, refused to hand over the ticket to Governor Mohammed who lost the PDP presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2022, makes allowance for a candidate to withdraw, but with a caveat. “A candidate may withdraw his or her candidature by notice in writing signed by him and delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the Commision not later than 90 days to the election”
Without a voluntary letter of withdrawal by Kashim, Governor Bala Mohammed may find it difficult to secure the ticket.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Yayanuwa Zainabari Tuesday confirmed that a fresh exercise would be conducted because Ibrahim Kashim had withdrawn from the race as he no longer had Interest in the election.
Zainabari stated that the PDP was following the process as enshrined in the law of the party and the electoral law.
The electoral law allows a political party to conduct fresh primaries where a candidate withdraws from the race.
