Kano 2019: APC speaks on substituting Ganduje’s name over bribery scandal

Amid bribery allegations against the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the national secretarial of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has said it will not substitute his name for the 2019 election.

An online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, had a month ago, released video footages captured with a spy camera showing Governor Ganduje allegedly receiving, in batches, $5m bribe from a contractor.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu, told PRNigeria that Ganduje remains the standard bearer of the party in Kano.

He said: “The INEC guidelines on the selection or replacement of candidates are explicit. It doesn’t confer power on political parties to whimsically, arbitrarily or recklessly just substitute a candidate on frivolous grounds.

“It is only when a candidate dies, voluntarily withdraws from contesting an election, or a court pronouncement that a candidate can then be substituted or replaced, if you like.

“So as things stand, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, regardless of the unfortunate development is and still remains APC’s Kano guber candidate.

“Don’t forget that the governor has sued the publisher of the online media for defamation of character,’’ he concluded.