Ganduje's commissioner, who tore election results in 2019, resigns

The Kano State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Murtala Garo, who was arrested and detained for tearing election results for Nasarawa Local Government Area in 2019, has resigned his appointment.
It is believed that Mr Garo resigned to join the race to become the next governor of the state.
Mr Garo’s resignation followed a directive by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to all political appointees and other public servants aspiring to contest for elective offices in 2023 to resign before Monday, April 18.
Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, provides that political appointees aspiring to contest elections must resign their positions before the conduct of political party primaries.
“No political appointees at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”, the section states.
In a swift response to the directive, Mr Garo submitted his resignation letter and indicated interest to join the governorship race in 2023.
Abubakar Ibrahim, an aide to Mr Ganduje, announced that Mr Garo will join the governorship race in the state under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
PREMIUM TIMES in 2019 reported how police personnel arrested Mr Garo, alongside the state’s deputy governor, Nasir Gawuna, at the Kano State collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after he tore the result of the poll in the local government.

The two top officials were arrested after they moved to the venue of the state collation centre and started interfering with the collation of results.
The tearing of the results eventually led to the declaration of the election inconclusive by the electoral body.

The then state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Riskuwa Shehu, who briefed journalists, observers and party representatives, said suspected thugs invaded the local government collation centre and disrupted the process.
“As we were waiting to reconvene with the intention to continue with the collation, we heard a disturbing report that just as they were about to conclude, results collation in Nasarawa local government were disrupted and the result sheet is torn away and there was a lot of commotion and the police had to rescue some people,” the INEC official said in 2019.
Others resignations
Other commissioners who have resigned since Mr Ganduje’s directive was issued are the commissioners for budget and planning, Nura Dankadei, and of rural and community development, Musa Kwankwaso.

ALSO READ: Shekarau, five others write IGP, accuse APC factional chair, Ganduje’s commissioner of arson

Mr Dankadei stated in his resignation letter that he resigned to pursue his future political ambition. It is believed he will vie for the House of Representatives position for Doguwa and Tudun/Wada federal constituency.
Meanwhile, Mr Kwankwaso, a retired police officer turned politician, said he is resigning to contest for the House of Representatives for Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam federal constituency.

Senator Barau joins Kano guber race
One of those who will be slugging it out with Mr Garo for the APC governorship ticket in Kano is Barau Jibrin, the senator representing Kano North.
Mr Jibrin declared his intention to contest the 2023 gubernatorial race in the state during a ceremony on Saturday to inaugurate his campaign committee.

He has appointed a former deputy governor of the state, Hafiz Abubakar, as his campaign director.
A 17-person committee will oversee Mr Jibrin’s campaign in the three senatorial districts of the state, while another 27-person central committee will be in charge of his campaign across the 44 local government areas.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Abubakar said the committee will soon inaugurate other subcommittees that include social media, student associations and a committee for the business community.
“We will soon unveil a reach out a strategy for the Barau I Jibrin’s campaign that will involve going to the grassroots, business communities, religious leaders and associations.”
“You all are free to start soliciting for support in respect of the candidacy of Senator Barau I Jibrin,” he said.
Mr Jibrin thanked members of the committee for their sacrifices. He charged them to work closely with the campaign director to succeed in the party’s primaries.Advertisements

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