APGA presents Maku as Nasarawa guber candidate

THE Nasarawa State Chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), on Saturday, officially presented the immediate past Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, as its governorship candidate for the February 28 gubernatorial election in the state. At a well attended ceremony held at Manyi Royal Suites on Jos road in Lafia, the state capital, the state chairman of the party, Chief John Amakor, said the party gave the ticket to Mr Maku after due consideration of his vast wealth of experience and political clout, having served in various positions as commissioner, as well as deputy governor and minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since its return to democratic setting almost 16 years ago. However, when contacted on phone, the aggrieved governorship candidate of the party, Mr Matthew Ombugaku, who was substituted for Maku, said he would institute legal action against the decision of the party by tomorrow. Chief Amakor, however, confirmed that the national secretariat of the party has certified the candidature of Maku as the undisputed flag bearer of APGA ahead of the February election, following the raging controversy surrounding his candidature. While speaking on his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APGA, the former minister alleged that there was a gang-up against his candidature, accusing party executives of conniving to threaten delegates, hide others and alter the delegates’ list to ensure he lost. According to him, “The struggle to ensure that I did not become candidate of APGA is emanating from the government house in Lafia. There is no place they have not gone; they have threatened APGA leadership in the state.” He, therefore, named Alhaji Ibrahim Abu, an Alago man from Obi local government as his running mate, while attributed the gang-up against him to fear of his ability and tested leadership qualities which has endeared him to the electorate. When contacted also, the Legal Adviser of the party in the state, Barrister Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu said he was not aware of any substitution by the party, insisting that Mr Ombugaku remains the candidate of the party.