Former Chief of Air Staff, retired Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has emerged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governoship candidate for 2023 general election in Bauchi State.
Abubakar, who is Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, polled 370 votes to defeat six other aspirants in the primary election held on Thursday in Buchi.
Announcing the result on Friday, the Returning Officer and Chairman, APC Election Committee, Alhaji Ali Birninkudu, declared Abubakar winner of the election.
He said that 1,020 delegates were accredited and 1,012 votes casted in the exercise.
The returning officer said that Sen. Haliru Jika, the runner up in the election, polled 278 and Alhaji Nura Manu-Soro came third with 269 votes.
He said that Musa Babyo polled 70 votes, Faruq Mustapha scored 26 votes, Mahmood Maijama 8 votes and Prof. Ali Pate got 0 votes, respectively.
“I hereby certify that Amb. Saddique Abubakar, having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner.
“He is, therefore, the standard flag bearer of the APC in the gubernatorial election that will take place in 2023 in Bauchi State,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Abubakar thanked Allah for his victory and commended delegates and the leadership of the party for the confidence reposed in him.
He promised to work together with other aspirants for the success of the party in the 2023 general election, adding that, “your support is not taken for granted.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the aspirant, Al-Amin Mohammed, withdrew from the race few hours to the election.