Party rules must not be altered after candidates emerge – Ex-Niger Speaker Usman

A former Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, has warned against changing political party rules after candidates have emerged from nomination processes, saying such practices could undermine the development of political parties as institutions.

Usman had emerged as the All Progressives Congress, APC, consensus candidate for Lavun/Edati/Mokwa Federal Constituency.

His name was subsequently replaced on the party’s candidate list, a development he is challenging in court.

He spoke in Minna during the inauguration of the Amana Tinubu/Bago Support Group.

Explaining his decision to pursue the matter in court, Usman said the issue went beyond his personal political ambition, stressing that political parties must be governed by established rules.

“I have nothing to lose. It is for challenging the system,” he stated.

According to him, failure by members to challenge questionable processes could encourage a situation where party rules are disregarded at will.

“If you don’t take the courage to challenge the system and we keep on being very distant, ‘Oh, it is the party, he has the power to do so,’ it will get to a level that one day they will just announce that we are starting the primary,” he said.

Usman said such a situation could ultimately make established nomination procedures meaningless, as individuals could emerge without participating in the process.

He said his legal challenge was therefore also aimed at strengthening political parties.

According to him, “We should develop a political party as an institution. We cannot allow them to be acting with impunity, having the rules and then adjusting the rules and then go and do the other thing.”

Usman who is the convener of the Amana Tinubu/Bago Support Group, stated that he remained committed to the APC despite the dispute over the ticket, explaining that the support group was formed by his supporters to continue mobilising for the party.

“What we are doing is to campaign for the party,” he said.

He explained that  the group would support APC candidates across the ballot, from the presidency and governorship to the National Assembly and state House of Assembly.

Usman also disclosed that he would return to Mokwa and other parts of the constituency to meet supporters and explain the situation to them.

He said meetings had already been held in the three local government areas, with further ward-level engagements planned.

The former Speaker said the recent court proceedings had also given his supporters renewed hope.

Chairman of the support group, Hussaini  Abdullahi, said the organisation would work to reconcile supporters and sustain mobilisation for the APC while the legal process continues.

The APC had earlier presented Usman as its consensus candidate for the constituency before subsequently replacing his name on its candidate list.