Gombe AC crisis escalates
Stories from Aliyu Muhammad, Gombe
The Action Congress (AC) crisis in Gombe state is taking another dimension following the party’s executive council members' decision to disown former governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Habu Hashidu, as the party’s flagbearer.
The state chairman and secretary of the party, Barrister Joshua Lidani and Samuel Mamman, had earlier issued a press release jointly signed by them announcing the endorsement of Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu's candidature as the party’s gubernatorial flagbearer for the state, although, he did not participate in the gubernatorial primary election of the party in which Col. Musa Muhammad (rtd) was declared the winner.
However, after an emergency meeting was held in Gombe with eleven local government chairmen of the party in attendance, a counter statement was issued in respect of the ealier announcement, signed by both the deputy chairman, Alhaji Yaya Yakubu and the secretary of the party, Mr. Samuel Mamman, endorsing Col. Musa Muhammad (rtd) as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.
The statement also directed AC members in the state and the general public to disregard the earlier announcement “that Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu is the Action Congress flagbearer of the state”.
“This is to inform the gubernatorial candidates and the general public, especially supporters of Action Congress that its gubernatorial candidate in the state is Col Musa Muhammad (RTD) and not Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu,” the later statement further said.
Sunday Triumph investigation revealed that the former Gombe state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu joined AC after the party had conducted its primary election in which the former minister of intergovernmental affairs, Col Musa Muhammad (rtd) emerged the winner.
The state chairman of the party who has now been nominated by Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu as his running mate, however said that though Col Musa Muhammad won the party’s primary election to become its flagbearer, Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu was later picked up by a committee from ‘’above’’ to be the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the state and “that stands”.
The two factions have already drawn a battle line, threatening fire and brimestone should their respective candidates be denied access to the gubernatorial ticket of the party.