2023: Kumaila remains on ballot for Borno Central Senatorial race – PDP to APC

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Debo Ologunagba, on Friday, stated that contrary to the misleading information by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Muhammed kumaila, is still in the race for the Borno Central Senatorial seat and remains the candidate to beat in the February 25 senatorial election in Borno State.

Ologunagba, in a parley with newsmen in Abuja, condemned the APC for peddling lies that the party, following courts decision, has no candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial poll.

Kumaila had emerged winner of the July 15, 2022, primary election, and his name accordingly forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as candidate of the PDP for the Borno Central seat.

His nomination was, however, challenged by Hon Jubrin Tatabe, who had won the May 23, 2022, primary but later withdrew from the race two months later.

Tatabe had in a letter dated July 14, 2022 voluntarily withdrew as candidate of the PDP, necessitating the conduct of the July 15 primary which produced Kumaila.

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But while a Federal High Court in Maiduguri on Monday nullified the election that produced Kumaila as candidate, another Federal High Court in Abuja, the following day dismissed Tatabe’s suit challenging the nomination of the former.

Tatabe’s request that Kumaila be sacked and his name be forwarded to INEC as the right candidate of the PDP was turned down by the court.

However, the APC in a statement claimed that following the courts judgment, the PDP has no candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial election.

But reacting, the PDP spokesman told journalists in Abuja, that it is pertinent to address the “attempt by the APC to mislead the public by falsely claiming that the PDP has no candidate for Borno Central Senatorial District Election”.

Ologunagba said, “Our party has been made aware of mischievous and misleading claims by the APC, that the PDP has no candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial election scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023.

“For clarity, the PDP states in an unequivocal term that our Candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial election remains Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia was confirmed in the list of candidates for the 2023 general elections published by INEC.”

The National Publicity Secretary was of the opinion that the APC’s resort to falsehood “further exposes the fact that the APC in Borno State is intimidated by the towering credibility and popularity of our Borno Central Senatorial Candidate, Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia among the people for which they are eager to troop out enmasse to vote for him on February 25, 2023.”

He advised that the APC should understand that the people have settled for Kumalia and cannot be swayed by their falsehood and misleading claims.

“The PDP therefore urges our teeming party members, supporters and good people of Borno Central Senatorial District to disregard and ignore the APC and continue to stand behind our Candidate, Hon. Umara Muhammad Kumalia as he marches to victory in the forthcoming Senatorial election,” he added.