The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the Minjibir bye-election in Kano State, Alhaji Auwalu Ubale Minjibir, has withdrawn from the contest.
Minjibir also known as Shagon Minjibir, announced his withdrawal from the race in a broadcast through a Kano-based private radio station, Rahmah Radio, in the early hours of today.
Minjibir alleged that “I have withdrawn because the ruling party has deployed thugs to Minjibir town a day to the election with intention to disrupt the election.
“I am not a troublemaker and I don’t want to be involved in anything trouble and I don’t want to be associated with it”.
The bye-election into the Minjibir state constituency seat in the House of Assembly was earlier slated to hold last April but had to be suspended due to break down of law and order midway through the exercise.
In spite of the PDP candidate’s withdrawal, the election commenced in all the eleven wards with voters apathy characterising the exercise.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, Alhaji Garba Lawal Muhammad, said the commission has not received any official letter from Minjibir in that respect.
“We only heard his withdrawal over the radio and our officials are currently at Minjibir local government conducting the bye-election”, he said.
Muhammad, however, said the commission is still waiting for the PDP candidate to officially notify it on his stand.
