Fintiri, Buni win tickets in Adamawa, Yobe

• Bindow expresses disappointment at APC leadership

Former acting governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has emerged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for next year’s elections. Fintiri polled 1,656 votes to defeat his closest rival and former chief protocol officer to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Abubakar Waziri who scored 465 votes.The former governor, Bala James Ngillari, scored 76 votes, while Aliyu Ahmed got eight votes and Umar Ardo, who announced his withdrawal on Sunday got only one vote.

The Returning Officer, Adamu Shuaibu, who declared Fintiri winner of the PDP governorship ticket, said the exercise was not only transparent, but that the contestants conducted themselves in a lawful manner.

Addressing the delegates after announcing the results, Fintiri said his emergence marks the beginning of positive change in the state, pointing out that his administration will be for the benefit of Adamawa people and that there will be no discrimination on any grounds.

However, Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow has expressed disappointment at the national secretariat of APC for shifting the primary to Thursday and adopted direct primaries.While addressing his supporters yesterday in Yola at Ribadu Square venue of the aborted primary, he said if the crisis in the party is not properly handled, some individuals would destroy the party for their selfish interests.

Meanwhile, National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Maimala Buni, has clinched the Yobe State governorship ticket by defeating three other aspirants at the primaries.Announcing results of the election in Damaturu yesterday, the Returning Officer, Umar Kareto, said Buni scored 2, 797 votes to defeat Sidi Karasuwa who polled 23 votes.

The two other aspirants, Umar Ali and Aji Kolo, scored eight and four votes respectively. Kareto commended the governorship aspirants and their supporters for their cooperation, conceding defeat during the primaries and accepting the results.In his acceptance speech, Buni commended the delegates for the confidence reposed in him, saying: “It was a collective victory for all aspirants that fully participated in Sunday’s APC primary election without any hitch,” he said.