The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate for Plateau State House of Assembly, Jos North North Constituency, Hon. Rumoh Jesse John, has reacted to the controversy surrounding the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in the constituency, urging political actors to allow due process while focusing attention on issues affecting residents.
In a statement issued following a press conference by the Like Minds Progressive Forum at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Jos, where members raised concerns over the outcome of the APC primary election, Rumoh said disputes within political parties should be addressed through established internal mechanisms and legal channels.
The Like Minds Progressive Forum had alleged irregularities in the APC primary election conducted for the Jos North State Constituency, claiming that the process resulted in the emergence of a candidate who did not secure the second-highest number of votes after the leading aspirant was reportedly disqualified.
According to the group, results signed by the Chairman of the APC House of Assembly Primary Election Committee, Kaban Yohanna, showed Hon. Adamu Aliyu as the highest scorer with 13,066 votes, followed by Hon. Harry Ishaya with 1,904 votes, Shehu Bala Usman with 239 votes, and Abdulkaddir Hassan with 182 votes.
The group alleged that after Aliyu was not cleared by the party, the APC leadership proceeded to recognise Abdulkadir Hassan, who came fourth in the primary election, as the party’s flag bearer.
The forum called on the APC leadership to review the decision, arguing that the outcome did not reflect the voting pattern recorded during the primary election.
Responding to the development, Rumoh said the APC matter remained an internal issue for the party and that all political organisations must respect democratic procedures.
“The issues being debated within the APC are matters for that party and its established internal and legal processes. As the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), I will not interfere in or celebrate the challenges of any political party,” he stated.
Rumoh said his campaign would continue to focus on issues affecting communities within Jos North North Constituency, including youth empowerment, economic opportunities, education, healthcare, security, and accountable representation.
He said the 2027 election should be centred on leadership capacity, competence, integrity, and the ability of elected representatives to address public concerns.
“The election should be about who has the vision, competence, integrity, flexibility, and courage to represent the people faithfully and deliver meaningful development,” Rumoh said.
The AAC candidate also appealed to supporters of different political parties to remain peaceful and respect lawful processes while disputes are being addressed.
“Violence, hate, and unnecessary division have no place in our constituency. Let us allow the appropriate authorities to handle every dispute in accordance with the law,” he added.
Rumoh assured residents of Angwan Rukuba and other communities within Jos North North that his campaign would continue to engage with citizens and focus on issues affecting their daily lives.
The APC has not publicly announced a final resolution regarding the complaints raised by the Like Minds Progressive Forum as of the time of filing this report.
The dispute comes ahead of the 2027 general elections, where political parties are expected to nominate candidates for legislative and executive positions across Plateau State.
Post Comment