By AbdulRaheem Aodu
Interim chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna state, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, yesterday withdrew from the race for the state chairmanship congress billed for Saturday, even as he endorsed the candidature of Dr Tom Maiyashi for the state congress election.
Baba-Ahmed, a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) secretary, told reporters in Kaduna that his decision was as a result of “very serious contemplations and wide consultations informed by the need to improve the chances of our party to succeed and prevent it from being hijacked by interests that will destroy all the efforts we have made.’
He said: “I have been involved in extensive consultations with many stakeholders over the future of our party. I am convinced that the state congress must be conducted in a most credible and transparent manner to make its outcome acceptable to our members. I also believe that we need a leadership which will build bridges among all our members and has enough credibility and integrity to protect all our interests.
“On the choice of who leads our party with competence and integrity, I am convinced that of all the remaining contestants for the state chairmanship of the party, Mr Mataimaki Tom Maiyashi is most qualified. He is a consummate politician with records of loyalty to principles which are dear to our party. He also has personal integrity and qualities which will build and sustain bridges among and between faiths and ethnic groups in our party.’
Continuing, he said: “I, therefore, fully endorse him as the best candidate for state chairman, and I appeal to all my supporters and delegates at the congress to vote for him. Our party will be safe in his hands.”
Baba-Ahmed reiterated the need to ensure that party’s leadership was in the hands of those that would lead it aright and not those that would sell it to the opposition; use the party leadership position to pursue their parochial interest or pursue interests of individuals who nurse gubernatorial ambitions.
While APC may not want to scuttle its internal democracy, the party would rather that its state chairman comes from Southern Kaduna where Maiyashi, Hon. Bala Bantex and Hon Mikah Sule are leading candidates.
Other candidates for the Saturday state congress are Alhaji Ahmadu Coca Cola, Senator Aliyu Lawal, Hon Sadiq Mamman Lagos, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba Abbass, Umar Isa and Abubakar Abdullahi.
