Ibrahim Kashim, who became the Bauchi SSG in June 2021, is the first man in the state to win its most coveted party ticket without publicly declaring his ambition or producing a single campaign billboard or poster.

By Yemi Aruna

The Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Kashim, on Wednesday won the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

However, Mr Kashim won the primary as a proxy of Governor Bala Mohammed who will soon recover it from him since Mr Mohammed has lost his presidential bid.

Mr Kashim was the sole aspirant in the contest, at an elaborate event attended by the governor and his deputy, Baba Tela.

The victory of Mr Kashim, who became the SSG in June 2021, makes him the first man in the state to win its most coveted party ticket without publicly declaring his ambition or producing a single campaign billboard or poster.

Sources familiar with the circumstances that led to his “miraculous” victory said Mr Kashim was the last-minute choice of Governor Mohammed who on Saturday night polled 20 votes in the presidential primary of the opposition party.


Lone Candidate

Although they were all aware of the charade, delegates at Zaranda Hotel Bauchi, the venue of the primary election, dutifully cast 656 (one vote invalid) votes to affirm Mr Kashim as the 2023 governorship candidate of their party.

At the end of the voting, the returning officer, Hassan Grema, said: “By the powers conferred on me by the constitution of the PDP, I hereby declare Barrister Kashim Ibrahim as the winner of the PDP gubernatorial ticket for the 2023 general elections.”

Mr Kashim, who many delegates at the event were interfacing with for the first time, in his acceptance speech, said with his nomination, the PDP was poised to “win the next general election in the state.”

“The contest has just begun for 2023 and the PDP is ready to beat every other opposition,” he said.

“We must be a united party to be able to defeat others in the general elections. I am appealing to all of you to rally round and give the maximum support needed to win the general elections come 2023,” Mr Kashim said.

The former SSG then took time to commend Governor Mohammed “for providing purposeful leadership that has transformed Bauchi State far above its peers.”

He reassured his party members that he would consolidate on the achievements of the administration if elected governor next year.


Charade

Despite Mr Kashim’s victory speech, many in the state know he is not a genuine candidate.

Sahara Reporters had published a report on May 1, quoting a local Bauchi-based online newspaper, Wikitimes, detailing how Messrs Mohammed and Kashim had a secret pact which led to the latter’s secret resignation.

Sources within the Bauchi PDP informed PREMIUM TIMES that the SSG was only being used as a character in Governor Mohammed’s political subterfuge.

“The SSG is the governor’s plan-B, should His Excellency fail to clinch the presidential ticket next week,” one source said last week.

“No doubt Barrister Mohammed, who is barely known by many in Bauchi, is only helping his boss to hold forth until the presidential election primaries are concluded.”

Ironically, Section 35 of the Electoral Act is usually exploited to allow such charade to go through.

The Act says “A candidate may withdraw his candidature by notice in writing signed by him and delivered by himself to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the Commission not later than 45 days to the election.”

Many agree that it is uncommon for a first-time governor who is hopeful of reelection to throw it away in the way Mr Mohammed and his SSG wanted Nigerians to believe.

Another Bauchi PDP chieftain who asked not to be named in this report said: “If truly the governor was quitting the state politics for good, he would not settle for his SSG as his replacement when there are big names like the deputy governor, Senator Tela around him.

“The PDP, regardless of its being the ruling party in Bauchi, would lose the 2023 elections should the SSG proceed to appear on the final ballot,” the source stressed.

When Governor Mohammed was receiving a report from his Presidential Aspiration Contact And Consultation Committee led by a senator, Adamu Gumba, he made a remark about his plans on how he would pursue the PDP presidential ticket and secure his seat in Bauchi at the same time.

The former FCT minister jokingly said he would entrust his governorship ticket to a less ambitious politician whom he trusted to hand it back when asked to do that.

“Bauchi can be better if I am at the centre,” Sahara Reporters quoted Mr Mohammed as saying.

“But certainly, we have to manage the two together. I told my brother and colleague that you should not be happy to send me forth so that you can take over the governorship; I am going to do the two together as Matawallen Sokoto (Governor Tambuwal) did in 2019.

“I am going to test it and I am not going to give somebody who will not give me back when I come back,” Governor Mohammed said.

“One of my brothers, a formidable and astute politician, Matawalle Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal) did it before, so we are going to also test it,” the Sahara Reporters publication quoted Mr Mohammed as saying.

Governor Mohammed and his party are expected to utilise Section 35 of the Electoral Act in securing his second term ambition as governor.

Mr Kashim, who many in Bauchi believe still supervises the affairs of the Governor’s Office as SSG despite his resignation, will soon write to inform his party about his intention to withdraw as the governorship candidate.


Not unprecedented

When that happens, it will not make Governor Mohammed the first person to chase two rats at the same time.

As the governor said, his counterpart in Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, did the same thing in 2019. After his defeat at the PDP presidential primary in Port Harcourt that year, he returned home to recover the governorship ticket from a proxy whom he had prodded to take the ticket at the governorship primary.

This was also the favourite game of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who was also a candidate at Saturday night’s presidential primary of the PDP like Messrs Tambuwal and Mohammed.

In 2011 and 2019, Mr Saraki used proxies to tie down the senatorial tickets of the PDP while running after the party’s presidential ticket.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/533338-how-bala-mohammed-tied-down-pdp-governorship-ticket-while-running-for-president.html

Bala also gave his votes to Atiku.

The real guy man yesterday was Uncle Dele Momodu with no single vote. Egbon go don cash out gan

This is another Okorocha-Nwosu 2015 case

Naija politics is full of drama, he's a machiavellian

So what if he refuses to step down?

If na me, if I step down make I bend

This shit happened in Ebonyi State in 2007 but didn’t go as planned.

Sam Egwu, completing his second term as governor then, bought PDP presidential ticket to succeed Obasanjo…

Sensing things might not go as planned in his presidential bid, he got someone he felt was not ambitious to get the Ebonyi North Senatorial ticket of PDP and hold in his fort so that if he fails at PDP presidential primaries, he would come to retrieve the senatorial ticket from him and go to the senate.

The name of the man was Emmanuel Onwe.

As expected, Sam Egwu failed to get the PDP presidential ticket which Yaradua got. He went home to retrieve his senatorial ticket from Emmanuel Onwe and baba refused o.

It was like a movie to Egwu.

But long story short, Emmanuel Onwe went on to win the election and became senator for 4 years. But that was the last time he won any election in Ebonyi

In 2011, Egwu got the ticket back and has remained senator since then.

So, this thing doesn’t always go as planned. Especially when you have INEC as witnesses. Because nothing concern INEC with your secret pact.

Nigeria politicians are unpredictable, just look out the loop-hole in the constitution, he took advantage of, to perpetuate this unholy act. Chaiii! God will judge them.

Rubbish, was Bala Mohammed, hoping to get PDP presidential ticket or what
The worse FCT minister

We Yorubas from the 6 southwest states of Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo stand solidly behind Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku, we Yorubas stand on your mandate come 2023!!!

However, Mr Kashim won the primary as a proxy of Governor Bala Mohammed who will soon recover it from him since Mr Mohammed has lost his presidential bid.

The former FCT minister jokingly said he would entrust his governorship ticket to a less ambitious politician whom he trusted to hand it back when asked to do that.

I am going to do the two together as Matawallen Sokoto (Governor Tambuwal) did in 2019.

“I am going to test it and I am not going to give somebody who will not give me back when I come back,” Governor Mohammed said.

“One of my brothers, a formidable and astute politician, Matawalle Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal) did it before, so we are going to also test it,”

Like seriously
What kind of shenanigans is this?
What happens to follwing the constitution?!
Only in Nigeria.

Truly, there was a country!

ArmaniUhuru:
Naija politics too dirty abeg

You can say that again.

As the governor said, his counterpart in Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, did the same thing in 2019. After his defeat at the PDP presidential primary in Port Harcourt that year, he returned home to recover the governorship ticket from a proxy whom he had prodded to take the ticket at the governorship primary.

No wonder, birds of a feather.
The evil and corrupt patty started all this.
They brought all this evil and wickedness to our darling nation.
This was also the favourite game of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who was also a candidate at Saturday night’s presidential primary of the PDP like Messrs Tambuwal and Mohammed.

In 2011 and 2019, Mr Saraki used proxies to tie down the senatorial tickets of the PDP while running after the party’s presidential ticket.

Hehehe.

The way they tired down Nigeria.

Hmmmmm

But was Bala expecting to win the Presidential ticket?

Hmmm

Naija politicians are the greediest in any democratic country in the world.
Our politics too dirty abeg

Bala Mohammad is a crook.


Tinubu for 2023, I would have supported osibanjo, but the reality is, he doesn't have the structure to beat Atiku.

Since, it is clear that GEJ is not even contesting let alone getting the ticket.

Why Tinubu can win Atiku in 2023


1. Tinubu has more structure in the northwest and some part of north east even than Atiku. To those claiming Northerner always vote their own,that's not a complete truth.

2. An APC northern governor will not agree to lose his election,just because his brother is in PDP. Everyone is selfish. The reason why it was easy for Tambuwal to step down for Atiku is because, he knows he doesn't stand any chance in the first place and they are in the same party.

3. Northerner have overwhelmingly voted for Yoruba before, even against Tofa their own in '93, it is still very possible this time.

4. Stakeholders in APC can not go to PDP to become a strangers just because they want to support their brothers.

5. Power of media, let Tinubu clinch the ticket first and you guys will see the mother of campaign and Southwest votes is not going to be divided this time.


Northwest and Southwest(The two region with the highest electorate) alliance is still intact.

No way North is doing another 8years that will make it 16 straight years it is not done.


Tinubu is our incoming president in 2023

The real politics starts from the parties...your vote becomes meaningless if the parties presented the wrong candidate to represent them. A total reform of our political parties and electoral process must be done for proper democracy. The weakness of the process has been tested and exposed by politicians from CBN governor aspiration to high fees of registration/form to candidates with multiple ambitions picking forms.

The easy access of civil servants and politicians to public funds has also been in the burner lately.

Meanwhile See how you can multiply your Ugu seedlings from one seed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-WwF7YcAo8

That shows how selfish he was

High definition of greed and desperation.

At this point, I need a God fearing sugar mummy because I can't do it alone!!
��

Hmmm

Penguin2:
So what if he refuses to step down?

Can he sponsor it, can he win the general election, the Gamble is too risky

No be Bala Muhammed fault, but the system that give room for such sharp practices.

Ironically, Section 35 of the Electoral Act is usually exploited to allow such charade to go through.

Did the constitution allow that rubbish?

Those miscreants PDP bots will not se anything wrong with this. Just change the name to El rufia, Sanwo-Olu or any other, they’ll be here to multiply their frustrations.

Okorocha has taught them how it is done

Hmmm

helinues:
Bala also gave his votes to Atiku.

The real guy man yesterday was Uncle Dele Momodu with no single vote. Egbon go don cash out gan

Fayose scored zero too

Really

Pdp can never change