APC refuses to give Senator Shehu Sani automatic ticket

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said it has not handed automatic ticket to any Kaduna Senator.

Senator Sani is the only APC Senator from Kaduna State, following the recent defection of his colleague from Kaduna North, Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi.

The party, in a statement signed by its Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Mohammed Sani Ibrahim, said the rumour that automatic ticket had been given to a Senator should be disregarded.

According to Ibrahim, “the National Working Committee of the APC has not handed over an automatic ticket to any senator in Kaduna State.”

He added that whoever was interested in contesting had to slug it out at the primaries.

According to him, “As a compatriot, I feel deeply disturbed by the recent developments in our great party, especially the unfounded rumours regarding candidates for the various offices, as we approach the 2019 general elections.

“More disturbing is the story of the so-called endorsement or automatic tickets that people have been spreading on social media, especially as it relates to Kaduna central and many parts of the Northwest Senatorial District.

“For the records and in the interest of our great party’s constitution and its public image, I wish to declare that the party’s constitution is supreme and decisions at the National level is not a one-man show as some people wrongly assumed,” he said.

Ibrahim said the issue of automatic tickets, can only happen after decisions are reached collectively by the National Working Committee, in conjunction with the NEC which is vested with such powers.

“It follows logically therefore, that the stories being branded on social media are misleading, in the sense that our party is governed by its constitution and not individual wishes. And that is why we have the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee.

“Let me make it categorically and abundantly clear that the APC will not and could not have given automatic ticket or endorsed any single candidate without recourse to guideline on nomination as stipulated in our party’s constitution.

“And right now, no such meeting has taken place yet and no publicity to that effect. The Senate of any senatorial district is not the exclusive preserve for any special favour,” Ibrahim added.