By Daniel Dauda, Jos


The APC Progressives Forum has sent a petition to  The Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni,  over attempts by Amb Yahaya Kwande, a Board of Tustee member of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to impose his son, Hon  Suleiman Kwande, as flagbearer of the All Progressives Party bye election for the Bassa/Jos North bye election taking place in Jos.

The  group  in a petition, signed by its Convener, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, further accused the PDP chieftain of manipulating the electoral process aimed at destabilising and creating confusing in the ruling APC in the state.
 
According to the petition sighted by newsmen in Jos, the group raised the alarm, calling on Mai Mala Buni,  to intervene and stop the sabotage aimed at creating disaffection among the peaceful Party faithfuls in Plateau State. 

According to the petition "Amb Yahaya Kwande is a high ranking member of the PDP and a close ally of Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, who has perfected plans to infiltrate the party and cause division in order to weaken the rulling APC and further his pact with Atiku to deliver the state to PDP to boost former Vice President's ambition to emerge as the flag bearer of PDP'S Presidential candidate. "

In the petition, the group disclosed that " during the last APC primary bye-election to fill up the seat of the Bassa/Jos North Federal constituency held in Jos on 2nd of February 2022, Hon Suleiman Yahaya Kwande successfully participated in the primaries and became a top contender through monetary inducements. Inspite of these insidious strategies, Hon Abbey Aku emerge victorious with overwhelming votes against other contenders.

 However in a political abracadabra, for which the PDP is known for, the results were tempered with, resulting in a stalement where the leading aspirant, Hon Abbey Aku was disenfranchised. His protest was muffled resulting in the announcement by the electoral officers resulting in Hon Aku and Hon Kwande scoring 344 votes each, resulting in a tie.

 Amb Yahaya Kwande has is therefore perfecting plans to ensure a run-off where his son will emerge as the sole candidate, through vote-buying from funds from  his benefactor, Atiku Abubakar."

According to the petition " if left unchecked, Hon Suleiman Kwande will emerge as member of the House of Representatives and join the  ranks of rebellious members in the National Assembly to frustrate the policies and programmes of the President Buhari administration's remaining tenure."

According to the petition, " Amb Yahaya Kwande and his son are not from the constituency which is Northern zone, but are from the faraway  Southern Zone Senatorial District, wondering why the incursion to an area other than theirs, if not for mischief. "

The petition said "Amb Yahaya Kwande who is blaming Gov Simon Lalong for his defeat in a local chieftaincy tussle in Kwande ,has sworn to make the state ungovernable."

The group called on the leaders of the party to intervene and restore the populist mandate of Hon Abbey Aku to forestall the impending disintegration of the party.