Niger APC Chairman, Jikantoro told to resign over open support for Governor Bello’s Senatorial ambition, as aspirants plans protest

The Niger State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently in disarray with aspirants questioning the impartiality of the State Chairman, Alhaji Haliru Zakari Jikantoro as a result of his open declaration of support for the Senatorial ambition of the State governor, Alhaji Sani Bello.

In a trending video, he was seen declaring openly for the State governor to clinch the 2023 Senators ticket, a development that has set the State APC on the keg of powder as aspirants said, such a man cannot preside over a free, fair and credible primary elections of the party.

This is even as the governor was adjudged to under performed in office in the last 7 years, thereby closing in the chances of APC day by day.

CAPITAL POST gathered that aspirants are calling for Alhaji Jikantoro resign from office before the primary election slated to take place any time soon.

An aspirant reacting said: “The Chairman had in the trending video, openly declared that though as the party Chairman, he is not supposed to take side with any aspirant ahead of the party primaries, he has no choice than to throw his weight behind the Senatorial ambition of the Governor who is vying for Niger North Senatorial District.

According to a source, if the Chairman fail to resign, and the National jeadquarters would not listen to them, they will protest and make sure they fight back.

The Chairman was said to have made the declaration when he played host to a former Commissioner for Land and Housing in the state, and House of Representatives aspirant for Agwara/Borgu Federal constituency, Barrister Mouktar Ibrahim Nasale in his office in Minna.

According to the Chairman in the trending video which is in possession of our correspondent, “I am not supposed to do this as the Chairman of the party but am saying this to the hearing of anybody who cares to listen that I am fully in support of the Governor’s aspiration.

“In fact, I am not only in support, I am in the fore front of the struggle, and I want the whole world to know about this”, he declared.

However in another forum, the Chairman was quoted to have said that he will give all aspirants a level playing ground as he will be neutral to everyone during the forthcoming party primaries.

The Chairman’s contradictory comment was made when a member of the House of Representatives, representing Chanchaga Constituency and Governorship aspirant in the state, Alhaji Umar Bago paid him a familiarization visit in his office in Minna.

In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Musa D. Sarkinkaji shortly after the Chairman received the governorship aspirant in office, quoted him to have said that he will not take side with any aspirant ahead of the party primaries, assuring that “every aspirants would be given free playing ground within the party constitution”.

This double speaking by the Chairman has drew a lot of reactions from aspirants vying for different positions ahead of the party primary elections, wondering if the Chairman could be trusted in conducting a free and fair primary elections.

Some of the aspirants who spoke to our correspondent, but did not want their names in print, described as unfortunate, the open declaration of support for the governor ahead of the party primaries.

“This is the most unfortunate comment that could come out of a party Chairman who is expected to be neutral to all aspirants in the party. This kind of comment could spell doom for the party at the general election if the people discover any foul play”.

Another aspirant who is vying for the State House of Assembly seat, in his reaction said that the chairman, by his biased comment, has demonstrated that he can never be neutral and therefore can not be trusted, but warned that any attempt to manipulate the forthcoming primaries in favor of a particular aspirant will not go down well for the party in the general election.

“The party may have its way in the primary, but certainly at the general election, the people will have their way. The Chairman should learn from past mistakes of other parties who tried to impose candidate on the people”, he submitted
.