Katsina by-election: Despite not voting, APC candidate offers own ‘blood’ to win

After queueing and loitering around the voting premises for close to three hours, the APC candidate in the ongoing Katsina North senatorial district by-election, Ahmad Babba-Kaita has been unable to cast his vote.

But he vowed he would be ready to offer his blood to win.

Mr Babba-Kaita, a member of the House of Representatives, arrived the Bakin Kasua Primary School, PU 005 at about 12.15 p.m. but by 3.10 p.m. when he left, he had not voted.

He had left the queue after about an hour of standing to sit under a shade, only to return some minutes to 2 p.m.

By 2.49 p.m. when it was just his turn, Mr Baba-Kaita left again to the surprise of electoral officers and dissatisfaction of a PDP agent who fumed at the development.

Addressing journalists, Mr Baba-Kaita harped on the need for the APC to have more senators in the Senate to be able to carry out the manifesto of the party.

He added that he was not worried by the spate of defections within the party.

“The aim of our great party and great president is to make sure we have enough number within the Senate to be able to push for the campaign promises of the APC government and by extension President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I wouldn’t lose my sleep on it (Defections). Not at all. It’s the season. Most of the people decamping, go back to their wards, you’ll find out that their political ward is empty, nearly empty. They don’t have any political value, they don’t have any ticket. The only way they could make noise is to decamp from one party to another.

“It’s very sad that when we are saying we want to develop democracy in Nigeria, we don’t have ideals we believe in. And any person that doesn’t believe in an ideal is empty. It’s just desperation.”

On why he decided to contest for the senatorial seat, Mr Babba-Kaita said his move was in a bid to protect the interest of his party. He said he was ready to shed his blood to achieve this.

“I just want to go and protect the interest of my party and I will do it to the last of my blood. I will shed my blood for this thing because I know the president and APC government have tried to bring the change that we deserve it this country. But some people are making it almost impossible for the government to succeed.”

Asked his plans for the youth in his constituency, the lawmaker said he had a good track record with them while challenging journalists to ‘go around my constituency’ to check independently.

On his plans if wins the by-election, Mr Babba-Kaita said, “But it’s not about if I’m declared the winner. I’m already the winner.”

At the time of filing this report, the APC candidate was yet to vote.