Members of National Assembly and their counterpart at the Borno State Assembly, 28 of them in total on Thursday picked an expression of interest and nomination form which they intend donating to the state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, as their choice candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek re-election in 2015.
The lawmakers include one of two APC Senators, five out of the eight members of the House of Representatives under the APC and 22 out of 27 members of the Borno State House of Assembly, all of whom refused joining former Governor of the State Ali Modu Sheriff who moved to PDP.
APC (formerly ANPP) was in control of one Senate seat and 8 House of Representatives after the 2011 elections in Borno State. The PDP had two Reps for Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Federal Constituencies and two Senators, for Borno Central which was worn by Senator Ahmed Zannah after defeating then Governor Ali Modu Sheriff and the South Borno Senatorial following the emergence of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume who took over from Senator Umar Hambagda of the ANPP even though Hambagda didn’t stand for the elections. Dr Asabe Vilita Bashir won the ANPP’s candidature but lost to Ndume. Ndume however defected alongside 11 Senators to APC following a merger between then New PDP and APC.
The PDP currently has one Senator from Borno, Ahmed Zannah even though he is likely to move over to APC following Sheriff’s cross over to PDP. Sheriff has had open political enmity with Zannah and Ndume since 2011.
Ndume representing Borno South has since aligned with Governor Kashim Shettima. Infact Ndume and Mohammed Tahir Monguno representing Nganzai,Marte and Monguno Federal Constituency of Borno State led the 28 NASS and State lawmakers in total, in of company council Chairmen, party chieftains, women representative, youths and political office holders to the national Secretariat of APC in Abuja yesterday to obtain reelection form for Shettima.
Both lawmakers said in separate remarks that there were many individuals and groups scampering to obtain the re-election forms for the governor but that as representatives of the entire people of the State they decided to take the responsibility that majority of Borno citizens consider very dear to their hearts. Speaking on why the lawmakers decided to obtain the forms for the governor, Hon. Tahiru Monguno, said as representative of Borno people they were at the party secretariat to express the confidence that Borno people and residents have in the governor.
He said Borno people were very impressed with what he described as “the excellent performance of the governor in the last three and half years especially with the manner he manages the security challenges in the State, his genuine efforts towards reclaiming peace, his reconstruction efforts and his courage in carrying out numerous projects despite the challenges”.
Monguno added that despite the recent defection of some APC stalwarts to the PDP, majority of the lawmakers both at the national and state Assembly remained in APC and were standing behind the governor.While presenting the forms, the party’s deputy national chairman South, Engr. Segun Oni, said it was a good thing that the lawmakers have come to show solidarity to their governor, saying “one good term deserve another.”
He said the confidence of APC has never shaken about the state, saying the party is proud of the governor despite the insurgency challenges in the state.He assured that APC would continue it dominance in the state, adding that by the time APC get the power at the center in 2015, the issue of insurgency would be a thing of the past.
Receiving the forms after making payments, Senator Ndume told the party national leaders that Borno state is a comfortable APC stronghold assuring the National headquarters that its leaders had nothing to worry about.
