Oshiomhole faulted over automatic tickets to NASS members

Scores of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from Niger State have vowed to resist purported decision by the party’s National chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to grant automatic tickets to members of the National Assembly from the state.

The protesters, who stormed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to register their anger, particularly accused the Oshiomhole-led national working committee (NWC) of replacing the name of Mr. Ado Ikon-Allah who was adjudged winner of the Suleja/Tapa/Gurara seat in the House of Representatives with that of Abubakar Lado, who is the present occupier of the seat.

The protesters also pointed at the NWC’s resolve to grant automatic ticket to Senator David Umaru in place of Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa, who won the primaries for the Zone ‘B’ senatorial seat to justify their action.Comrade Aliyu Isa Gentility, who led the protesters, claimed he was in possession of the primaries’ result sheets, duly endorsed by officials of the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to buttress his claim.

Arguing that the NWC’s decision to grant automatic tickets to the duo ran contrary to APC’s Constitution and the Electoral Act, as amended, he said the names of lawmakers granted automatic tickets were on the list submitted to INEC last week.

He wondered why the party still went ahead to grant automatic tickets to the duo, even when it sold expression of interest and nomination forms to various aspirants who spent millions of naira to vie for various elective positions.

He said: “Three years ago, we felt APC deserved all the accolades, as it promised to be a truly democratic party. Today, the story is different, as APC is fast becoming a party of injustice. The party deceived aspirants to buy forms at exorbitant prices, who clearly won their primaries.

“Suddenly, we now hear stories of how the party is breaching its own rules by giving out automatic tickets to those that lost at the primaries. We have been informed that it was the sole decision of Oshiomhole. We say no to automatic ticket. The party must abide by results at the primaries in Niger State.”