Senate majority leader joins Kebbi governorship race

 

The majority leader of the senate, Yahaya Abudullahi, on Wednesday, picked the nomination form of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the governorship election in Kebbi State.

Mr Abudullahi is representing Kebbi North Senatorial District. He is one of the leaders of the faction of the party in the state opposed to the incumbent governor, Atiku Bagudu.

The new media aide to Mr Bagudu, Zaidu Bala, in a Facebook post shared a photo of Mr Abdullahi with the nomination form with other party officials.

The lawmaker joins Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, who has also declared interest to contest under the APC in Kebbi.

A former lawmaker and the elder brother to Kebbi governor, Bello Badugu, are among the politicians loyal to the senate leader. He reportedly led the delegation of party members that allegedly purchased the interest nomination form for Mr Abdullahi.

The party’s leadership in the state is divided between two factions – one loyal to Mr Bagudu and the other loyal to a former governor, Adamu Aliero.

Mr Aliero is pushing for the Senate majority leader to be the next governor of the state. But the governor, Mr Bagudu, who is from the same senatorial district as Mr Malami, prefers the latter to succeed him.

Meanwhile, Mr Bagudu also picked the interest nomination form for Kebbi central senatorial district, Mr Bala said.

Ad

He will challenge Mr Aleiro, who is the present occupant of the seat, for the party’s ticket.