Barely hours to the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero (APC-Kebbi Central) has withdrawn from the senatorial race scheduled for Saturday.

“I write to convey my decision to withdraw my intention to participate in the scheduled Kebbi Central Senatorial Primaries of APC,” the two-time Kebbi governor said in a statement on Saturday.

“The scheduled primaries in the state would be symbolic and patently fraudulent because the delegate list comprised of persons handpicked by the state governor to do his bidding,” he added.

He alleged that the state governor, Abubakar Bagudu, “fraudulently” compiled the lists of delegates contrary to the party’s amended constitution.

“You are aware that the amended constitution of our party prescribes that delegates for indirect primaries are to be democratically elected for the election of party candidates.

“It is, therefore, alarming for the governor to get away with the fraudulent act of composing the list of delegates for all the primaries in the state.

“I have endured the provocation and antics of the governor in the state beyond measure. I must, in that sense, express my appreciation for your interventions and efforts in containing the excesses of the governor,” he added.

Mr Aliero recalled that he had, for a long time ceased to be a “lone ranger” who could take independent decisions, adding that he would confer with his people and political associates on the next line of action.

(NAN)