After months of speculations and denials one of the frontline gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress Mohammed Idris Malagi may have dumped the party for the New Nigeria Political Party (NNPP).

Malagi was elected the standard bearer of the NNPP at a special gubernatorial primaries on Tuesday though in absentia.

He polled 124 delegates votes in the primaries where Dr Mukhtar Bala of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai was the returning officer and was supervised by the National Legal Adviser of the party Mr Horn Robert and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC

The NNPP had previously elected Alhaji Ibrahim Sokodeke as his standard bearer, making the State Organising Secretary Mr Anthony Francis to say that the fresh primary was conducted under the directive of the National Secretariat of the party.

According to Francis, the former primaries was

marred with irregularities, resulting in contestants writing petitions to the party kicking against its outcome.

However the winner of that primary Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Sokodeke has distanced himself from the new arrangement, saying he never withdrew for anyone.

In a video circulating in the state, Sokodeke declared that ” I am still the Governorship candidate of our party, the NNPP”, before advising

our teeming supporters to ignore any claim that I have withdrawn from the contest.

When contacted, the state Secretary of the APC Alhaji Ibrahim Khalid said the

defection of Malagi to the NNPP will not affect the fortunes of the APC in next year’s l.governorship election which we are set to win.

Khalid said the NNPP and other opposition parties will be swept off next year.

The Campaign Director General of Alhaji Malagi, Mr. Idris Abubakar Azozo, when contacted said he was not aware of any

plan by our principal to defect to any political party.

One of the Media Aides of Alhaji Malagi, Mr Jibrin Ndace could not be reached on his cell phones to comment on the issue.

Malagi Finally Dumps APC, Elected Guber Candidate of NNPP

Sokodeke cries foul

After months of speculations and denials one of the frontline gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress Mohammed Idris Malagi may have dumped the party for the New Nigeria Political Party (NNPP).

Malagi was elected the standard bearer of the NNPP at a special gubernatorial primaries on Tuesday though in absentia.

He polled 124 delegates votes in the primaries where Dr. Mukhtar Bala of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai was the returning officer and was supervised by the National Legal Adviser of the party Mr Horn Robert and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC

The NNPP had previously elected Alhaji Ibrahim Sokodeke as his standard bearer, making the State Organising Secretary Mr Anthony Francis to say that the fresh primary was conducted under the directive of the National Secretariat of the party.

According to Francis, the former primaries was

marred with irregularities, resulting in contestants writing petitions to the party kicking against its outcome.

However the winner of that primary Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Sokodeke has distanced himself from the new arrangement, saying he never withdrew for anyone.

In a video circulating in the state, Sokodeke declared that

I am still the Governorship candidate of our party, the NNPP,

before advising

our teeming supporters to ignore any claim that I have withdrawn from the contest.

When contacted, the state Secretary of the APC Alhaji Ibrahim Khalid said the

defection of Malagi to the NNPP will not affect the fortunes of the APC in next year’s governorship election which we are set to win.

Khalid said the NNPP and other opposition parties will be swept off next year.

The Campaign Director General of Alhaji Malagi, Mr. Idris Abubakar Azozo, when contacted said he was not aware of any

plan by our principal to defect to any political party.

One of the Media Aides of Alhaji Malagi, Mr. Jibrin Ndace could not be reached on his cell phones to comment on the issue.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.