The immediate past Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Saidu Umar Ubandoma, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
Umar emerged as the party flagbearer through consensus arrangements in an election held at the International Conference Centre, Kasarwaa, on Wednesday night after four other aspirants stepped down for him in the contest.
The State Deputy Governor, Muhammad Manir Dan’Iya, as well as the chairman of the party in the state, Bello Goronyo, were some of the aspirants who stepped down for him.
Others, according to the chairman of the electoral committee include the former deputy governor and two-term Minister of water resources, Mukhtari Shagari, as well as the former Commissioner for Environment and the son of a former governor, Sagir Bafarawa.
While congratulating the winner, the state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, disclosed that the party adopted the consensus mode of primary in order to ensure unity among party members in the state.
He said with the arrangements, his deputy, Manir Dan’Iya, will contest for Sokoto Central Senatorial District, while Sagir Bafarawa, was chosen as the running mate to Saidu Umar, the governorship candidate.
He appealed to all party members in the state to continue to work together in other to ensure total victory for the party in the forthcoming general elections.
In his remarks, the newly elected candidate of the party, Sa’idu Umar Ubamdoma, promises to continue on the development strides of Tambuwal when if elected the next governor of the state.
While extending his deep appreciation to his co-contestants who stepped down for him, he promised to carry everyone along to ensure victory for the party in the state.
Meanwhile, while announcing his candidature in the early hours of Thursday, the chairman of the electoral committee in the state who supervised the election affirmed his endorsement as part of the party guidelines.
He said out of the total number of 755 votes cast by the delegates, Umar scored 695 votes while nothing less than 60 votes cast were returned invalid.
Recalled that the candidate, a former banker, who until his recent resignation as the secretary of the state government was also the state Commissioner for Finance during the first term of Tambuwal’s administration.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
