Direct Primary: ‘Governor Bindow’s Thugs’ Attack Babachir Lawal’s Office (See Photos)

Thugs suspected to be working for Governor Jibirilla Bindow of Adamawa State were said to have resorted to violence in protest against the decision of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to choose its candidates for the 2019 elections by direct primary.

The thugs allegedly vandalised vehicles and other property at the political office of the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, in Yola.

Mustapha Atiku Ribadu, brother of Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told SaharaReporters that “some youth working on the instruction of Governor Bindow have attempted to break into the office complex of former SGF Babachir where we were having our meeting”.

“They came in their droves chanting ‘Away with Direct Primaries, Adamawa Sai Bindow’, but could not access where we were meeting.

“The next thing we heard was the sound of a smashed car windscreen, and three vehicles of Babachir’s political associates were vandalised.”

However, Ahmad Sajoh, Commissioner of Information and Strategy, distanced his principal from the attack.

According to Sajoh, his principal does not believe in politics of thuggery. He, however, blamed “desperate politicians for heating up the polity in the state”.

Yekini Nabena, acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, had released a press statement during the weekend, updating the party’s NEC’s decision on the mode of primaries.

Nabena’s statement read in part: “The 30th August, 2018 resolution of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) on the mode of primary election has been subject to inferences and misleading interpretations.

“As an update to the earlier released statement, the party wishes to make the following clarifications on NEC’s resolutions on Mode of Primary Election:

“1. Primary elections into all elective offices shall be by Direct Primaries; 2. NEC resolved to adopt direct primaries for the nomination of the presidential candidate and all other primaries.”

SaharaReporters understabds that direct primary may not favour Bindow, because many stakeholders who control large segments of the party membership seem to have deserted him”