APC Registration: Ex-Speaker Dogara’s Supporters Cry Foul

…Say, “we were denied participation”.

…Not true – APC Caretaker chairman

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Supporters of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara have cried foul over the ongoing Registration and Revalidation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that they are being denied participation in the exercise by the party in Bauchi state.

They therefore called on the National Secretariat of the APC to as a matter of urgency take steps to correct the anomalies noticed in the ongoing revalidation of membership and registration of members by the party in Bauchi state.

Some members of the party who spoke to our Correspondent said that because of their political alliance with Hon. Yakubu Dogara, they are not allowed to either revalidate their membership or get registered having returned to the party with the former Speaker.

Mohammed Aminu Tukur, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved members, gave instances of wards in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area where the members were out rightly denied participation.

Tukur further said; “In the first instance, the exercise is going on but we have come to realize that in certain areas, I can even cite examples, one by name Adamu Hashimu of Tashan Tabo of larpoli polling unit of Dajin ward, he along others were denied participation because of their alleged relationship with Yakubu Dogara. That was what they were told.

“Somebody by name Harisu M Hashimu from Palan Tulu this afternoon sent me a text message that they have been denied registration because of their connectivity to us (the former Speaker and myself). In at least three polling units in Tafawa Balewa LGA, registration materials were not supplied there, they have been hijacked and cornered in Kardam,” he said.

But, the Caretaker Chairman of APC in Bauchi state, Uba Ahmed Nana denied the allegation, saying that it is nothing but tissues of lies, adding that nobody has been denied participation in the exercise.

Nana, who spoke to Forefront on phone, said that every old member of the party is eligible for revalidation of his or her membership while new members are to be registered in line with the guidelines of the party.

He said; “We are looking for members. How can we then deny them from joining us? I have not receive any complaints from anyone. If there is any complaint, it should be properly channeled but as far as I am aware, the exercise is going on smoothly across the state.

“The only problem we have is that of shortage of materials. We have notified the national Secretariat and very soon it will be available”.