By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka
Abuja
Hon. Johnson Olatunde Ayo, a prominent member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in the FCT, has urged the party’s Presidential Candidate Peter Obi and running mate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to ensure that every aspirant who won primaries is given ticket and recognized as a candidate.
Ayo said Hon. Joshua Chinedu Obika, the current legislator for AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency, won the primary elections to re-contest against politicians from other political parties. He said Obika’s victory was witnessed and must be upheld.
“If Obika is denied the primaries he won, the NDC will lose election in AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency of the FCT. People shouldn’t be denied their winnings,” Ayo warned. He called on the party to release the primary election results and give Obika his victory.
He stated that the people gave Obika their mandate and all the aspirants voluntarily endorsed him after he won the primaries. “Obika won the primaries, and as such, other aspirants endorsed him to emerge the winner,” he said.
Ayo described Obika as a legislator who has outperformed his competitors and as a grassroots politician who knows every nook and cranny of AMAC/Bwari and the FCT in general. He said that local knowledge gives Obika an edge in the election.
He urged party leaders to know the truth about Obika’s performance in his constituency. “Even the indigenes, who had messed everything up, gave their votes to him based on his performance,” Ayo added.
Addressing allegations that Obika betrayed Peter Obi and supported Barr. Abure, left for the APC and later joined NDC, Ayo said nobody is denying that Obi’s influence helped Obika win. He was quick to remind that Obika joined the Labour Party before Obi and was once a councillor in Gwarin-pa Ward in the FCT, and that Obika maintains a good relationship with Obi.
Urging that the right thing be done, he called for all hands to be on deck for the party to move forward in line with the people’s yearnings. He said justice in candidate selection will strengthen NDC’s credibility ahead of the polls.
On the FCT Senate, Ayo accused Senator Ireti Kingibe of performing poorly in the FCT, even as he admitted that she won in 2023 based on the influence of the power behind the Labour Party. On Barr. Amanda Pam and Hajiya Aisha Yusuf, he said Yusuf is a well known activist, but Pam, having been in the system for a long time and knowing the terrain, has a better chance of winning as a well known politician in the FCT.
He said unlike the House of Reps, there were no primary elections for those aspiring for Senate in the FCT. Ayo reiterated that denying Obika his mandate would make it difficult for NDC to win AMAC/Bwari and weaken the party’s overall showing in the territory.
