Dr Hamza Al-Mustapha of the Action Alliance (AA) has won the party’s presidential primary to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2023 general election.
Al-Mustapha won the election with a total of 506 votes through an option-A voting process against its only opponent, Mr Samson Odupitam, who polled 216 votes.
He was declared as the party’s presidential flag bearer at the AA Special National Convention/Presidential Primary Election held on Thursday in Abuja.
Earlier, Sen. Tunde Anifowose and Amb. Felix Osakwe stepped down from the presidential race for Al-Mustapha, whom they described as most popular and powerful amongst other aspirants.
A total of 972 delegates were to vote, however, 851 delegates were accredited and 721 votes were cast.
The Chairman, AA presidential electoral committee, declared Al-Mustapha the winner of the election.
He said that the exercise that led to his emergence as the party flag bearer was one worthy of emulation by other parties.
“I congratulate those who contested and those who withdrew; this election exercise is an indicator that we are united and united we stand.
“The process is over now but the experience is there not to divide us, but to bind us together; so let us work together to emerge more victorious come 2023,” he said.
Responding, Al-Mustapha thanked the party’s National Electoral Committee for a transparent, free, fair, credible and peaceful conduct of the election.
He also appreciated party delegates from across the 36 states of the federation including the FCT who defied the rainfall during the accreditation process.
“From all indication, this was a very transparent exercise and I commend other aspirants for their efforts to ensure that the party remains united.
“I also commend Mr Odupitan for contesting because if everybody withdrew, there won’t be victory as we have seen today.
“I appreciate all party delegates, supporters, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who have all defied the rain to witness this event.
“I promise that our votes cast today would not be in vain and I indulge us to please obtain a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) because that is the surest way to be victorious come 2023 general election,” he said.
He urged supporters of the party not to relent in ensuring that the party became a force to be reckoned with against 2023.
Odupitan congratulated Al-Mustapha but, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the election, adding that the process was not a level playing ground for him to have succeeded.
“While I congratulate Al-Mustapha for winning the party’s ticket, I must say that I am a man of peace and I chose this path to contest and I can say I came, I saw, and I will conquer next time.
“However, for future purpose, we must as a party work with all fairness in conducting our primary election and ensure that all aspirants have same level playing ground,” he said.
Mr Kenneth Udeze, AA National Chairman, congratulated the presidential candidate and other aspirants for contesting and advised that the election was not to divide the party, but to bind it together.
He called for synergy amongst all the other aspirants and the presidential flag bearer to enable the party to win at the 2023 general elections.
The event was witnessed by officials of the INEC, security agents and party faithful.
