Protests on Saturday trailed the affirmation method adopted for the emergence of executives of the All Progressives Congress State in Niger State.
Most of the delegates rejected the affirmation exercise.
The protest followed immediately after the National Electoral Committee Chairman for the Niger State Congress, Senator Domingo Obende, announced the people the delegates had agreed for affirmation and consensus as against elections.
Immediately after the announcement, one of the aggrieved candidates for the state Woman Leader, Mairo Mohammed, busted into tears, lamenting that her mandate had been stolen.
At this point, mass protests erupted from various angles.
However, despite all these, the affirmation was confirmed by the Electoral Committee Chairman, while most political appointees and elected officials were seen trying to appease the people.
Reacting to the protest, Domingo said: “It is normal in an event like this for protest to erupt.
“However, the most important thing is that they are in the minority.
“The majority will always have their say at the end of the day.”
The Senator representing Niger North Senatorial District, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, moved the motion for the affirmation of 36 executives into the Niger State APC, while the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Marafa, supported the motion for the affirmation.
While the motion of the affirmation was ongoing, the people were heard shouting: We do not want affirmation; We want election; Do not impose candidates on us; Let us vote for our officials.
At least nine local government areas were in disagreement with the affirmation order.
The local government areas are Agaie, Gbako, Kontagora, Tafa, Katcha, Bida, Lavun, Mashegun, Lapai.
Some of the positions which were in contention included the position of the Secretary, Woman Leader, Public Relations Officer and the State Organising Secretary.
Speaking to her supporters, Mohammed, who was in tears, vowed to go to any length to regain her mandate.
The Lapai Local Government Legal Adviser, Umar Mustapha, alleged that the Public Relations Officer, Hassan Wakili, is a civil servant in the Ministry of Education and should not be holding a political office.
Mustapha said Wakili has been rejected in Lapai Local Government because he is not registered member of the party.
The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, urged the “newly appointed” executives to be up and doing and work towards ensuring unity in the party.
The Niger State APC Chairman, Jibril Imam; Secretary, Mohammed Liman; and Woman Leader, Fatima Mustapha, were among the 34 executives returned to office.