‘I didn’t declare myself winner of Gombe PDP gov primary’

Former House of Representatives member, Khamisu Mailantarki. Credit: Chima Azubuike

One of the governorship aspirants of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State, Khamisu Mailantarki, has clarified that he did not declare himself the winner of the party’s fresh primary as reported in the media, saying he has no such powers to do so.

While making the clarification to Arewa PUNCH, Mailantarki said he was quoted out of context in the recent interview.

However, he maintained that in the present circumstances and considering the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on party membership, he ought to have been declared winner by the Electoral Committee, having come second in the fresh primaries held on Tuesday.

“I have read many headlines that I declared myself the winner of Tuesday’s fresh governorship primary. I cannot do that because I do not the authority to do that. I was quoted out of context in my press conference after the exercise,” he said.

Mailantarki, who came second with a total of 389 votes, claimed that those are the lawful votes cast for him as a registered member of the PDP, and they are enough to make him the winner because the next aspirant polled fewer votes.

The guber aspirant frowned at Pantami’s eligibility, insisting that he should not have been allowed to participate in the fresh primary “because he did not meet the party’s guidelines on membership before the initial primary elections.”

Citing the apex court’s recent judgment on a similar matter, he also said he would challenge Pantami’s participation in court because he has the constitutional right to do so under the relevant laws of the country, maintaining that the process should have favoured him.

Mailantarki argued further that issues surrounding Pantami’s eligibility remained unresolved and formed part of the basis for his decision to challenge it.

He said while the fresh primary was conducted according to laid-down procedures, the inclusion of Pantami in the contest rendered the whole process contestable.

The politician, meanwhile, commended the PDP leadership in Gombe State, particularly the ex-governor and senator, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, for what he described as efforts to ensure fairness and adherence to due process within the party affairs.