In a significant political development, Shehu Umar, a prominent aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket in Bauchi State, has announced his withdrawal from the contest. Umar made his decision public through a personally signed statement released on Wednesday.
The move comes after a coalition of support groups that had been backing his campaign urged him to step down and avoid participating in the party’s primaries. These groups alleged that the current political climate is not favorable for his continued participation.
According to the coalition, the primary election process is riddled with irregularities, lacks clarity, and is highly ambiguous. They argued that what is unfolding is not a democratic election but rather a process of imposition and selection.
With Umar’s exit, the race for the APC governorship nomination in Bauchi has narrowed to two main contenders: former Governor Mohammed Abubakar and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar. Both are now seen as the leading candidates vying for the party’s ticket ahead of the general election.