By Abdulwahab Muhammad, Bauchi
The Gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) in Bauchi State Senator Haliru Jika has dispelled reports that he had stepped down for one of the major candidates in the March 18 Governorship election.
Jika who is the senator respresenting Bauchi Central, said he has all it takes to lead the state and he has been well received by the people.of Bauchi all through his campaigns all nooks and crannies of the state.
The NNPP Guber candidate popularly known as Dokaji by friends and well-wishers, clear the air about the purported news that he had stepped down from.the race in an interview with journalists at his residence in Bauchi.
"I did not step down from.the Governorship for any candidate and my party has campaign extensively," he said.
"This rumour has been going round and l have in several fora said it over and over that I did not step down for any one"
Jika said he was in the Governorship race to win because he has always been a winner.
" I have always been a winner. I have never been associated with failure. I am.going to win the Governorship election in Bauchi
"I am going to be the best thing that has ever happened to Bauchi. I am an enginner. I am a technician, .I have the ability and the capacity to turn around things, to revolutionize the way of governance in Bauhci State"
The NNPP candidate said that his party is the party to beat.
"In the history of politics in Nigerian there has never been any political party that attained this position within a shortage period of time,, the success that we have recorded so far and the millage we have gained so far.," he argued.
"This is the first of its kind in Nigeria and this shows that NNPP is the party to beat. Soon NNPP will take its re=ightful position in the country"
On the postponement of the election by one week, Jika, who was Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, said he does not know the technical know how to ascetain the consequences on.the elections as far as the BVAS is concerned.
He however gave a thumb down to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in.the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
"I am not impressed with the performance of INEC in the last election because we were told from my situation room that there were lots of discrepancies and hitches. Even the INEC staff were not conversant with the operation of BVAS. I hope it will make a difference"
Speaking on the recently signed peace accord by political parties in the state ahead of the March 18 electrons, he said peace would reign if INEC did the needful.
" I made it categorically clear to everybody that cared to listen that as long as there is no attempt to subvert the will of the people the elections in Bauchi State there will be peace. I will abide by the rules of the game but anything otherwise we don’t know'
He therefore called on INEC, the electoral umpire, to be neutral, just and fair to all
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