I’m not aware of Dogara’s exit from APC - Governor Abubakar

macfranc007 September 21, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Wale Akinola

- Governor Muhammed Abubakar of Bauchi state has stated that he is not aware of Dogara's exit from APC

- Dogara on Thursday, September 20, submitted his PDP nomination form to contest House of Reps election in 2019

- Abubakar, however, said that Dogara's exit would not affect the party in the state

Bauchi state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, on Thursday, September 20, stunned the All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful in Abuja, as he feigned ignorance of the exit of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, from the party.

Nigerian Tribune reports that Dogara's counterpart, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, had since dumped the ruling party for the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

NAIJ.com gathered that while addressing newsmen shortly after completing the screening exercise for sitting governor seeking a fresh mandate, Governor Abubakar, insisted he was not aware that dogara had defected to the PDP in Bauchi state.

He said: “Well, I don’t know whether he has defected. Has he? Well, I don’t know but I learnt some people presented him with a form, PDP form. But we haven’t heard any specific statement from him that he has defected. So I am waiting for that.”

He, however, said the exit of Dogara would not affect his aspiration for a fresh mandate in 2019.

“The speaker represents a constituency that has a total of 70, 000 registered voters. In 2015, I won the election with a margin of 393,000. So, that answers your question.”

The Bauchi state governor justified the APC governors' preference for indirect primary even as he noted that it was the choice of the state executive committees of the party.

“The position of the state executive in bauchi which they took while I was away in China with Mr President was for the indirect primary.

"The constitution of the party provides for indirect. The last NEC meeting allows for the state executive committees to take charge and determine for themselves what type of primary that they want and Bauchi chose indirect.

Also speaking with journalists shortly after his session with the Senate screening committee, Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha said the governors’ preference for the indirect primary was premised on lack of logistic for direct which he noted was cumbersome.

“Of course we had some states that opted for direct but most of us went for indirect because of the cost implication and the challenges we have with our membership register.

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“The process of computerisation is enormous. The chairman has assured us that the membership card would soon be ready and we can consider direct. But if it isn’t ready, we go for indirect since there is provision for it in our party constitution.”

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday, September 20, arrived at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi to submit his nomination and expression of interest forms.

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