By Victor Adeoti
In a last minute push, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared a former senator, Mr Mudasiru Hussein, for Osun West Senatorial District Primary.
Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the party’s State Publicity Secretary, said on Monday in Osogbo that the decision to clear Hussein was taken at NWC’s meeting in Abuja.
“This is the outcome of the meeting of the NWC in Abuja which reviewed the decision of the Appeal Panel which had earlier dismissed the appeal filed by Hussain on Sunday.
“By the regulation of the party, the decision of the NWC of the party is final.
“Therefore, delegates to the APC West Senatorial District Primary are to proceed to the designated centre for the exercise on Tuesday,” he said in a statement.
The Screening Committee of the APC headed by Zamfara State House of Assembly Speaker, Sanusi Rikiji , had on Sunday disqualified Hussain for being active in public service against the stipulated party’s
guidelines.
According to Rikiji, the party guideline stipulates that any aspirant that wants to contest an elective office is expected to have resigned from the public service 30 days before the primaries, but that Husain is still a Commissioner in the current state administration.
The disqualification was upheld by the Appeal Committee of the party headed by Mr Abdulahi Bello.
Husein, a two-time House of Representatives member and a one-time senator, took oath of allegiance as Commissioner for Cabinet Matters on May 30 in Osogbo.
However, Husain denied the claim of the committee that he had not resigned, saying “I have resigned my position to contest again for the senatorial seat.”
Mr Sanusi Rikiji, the Head of the Screening Committee, told a news conference in Osogbo on Monday that accreditation would begin at 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday to kick-start the primary.
“The postponement of the primary from Monday, June 12 to Tuesday 13 is to allow the NWC study the outcome of the screening and appeal committee filed and for us to be informed about their positions,” Rikiji had earlier said.
The primary which was scheduled to hold on Monday has been shifted till Tuesday to enable the party’s NWC to study the Screening Committee report.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed July 8 for the bye-election following the death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke on April 23.
With the clearance of Hussein, he will contest the party’s senatorial bye-election ticket with Demola, the younger brother of the late Adeleke.
