How my mandate was stolen, given to Atiku’s son, ADC reps hopeful Bashir, decries electoral heist
By Mohammed Ismail
In this no holds barred interview the African Democratic Congress (ADC) hopeful who contested the party’s primaries for Jada, Ganye, Mayo Belwa and Toungo (JAGAMATO) federal constituency, Alhaji Ahmed Bashir decries what he called an open daylight robbery as he claimed that his mandate was forcefully taken away from him and given to the son of former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Adamu Atiku Abubakar.
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Bashir said the action represents the worst form of travesty and constituted a heinous rape on democracy. He said the action will cost Atiku his gangling democratic posture if he indeed supported his son or allowed the electoral heist to stand. He also predicted that such action if allowed to stand will lead to the death of democracy itself adding that democracy safeguards the rights of the privileged and the not so privileged adding that any democracy that fails that critical test is doomed to fail.
Excerpt:
Please can you give us an overview of what actually transpired during the ADC primaries for Jada Ganye Mayo Belwa and Toungo federal constituency?
Bashir: I will start by saying that what happened was unfortunate. It represents the worst form of rape and abuse on our democracy. It is the height of electoral heist and a travesty taken too far.
The action exemplifies that even in democracy, the weak have no right and cannot compete favourably against the sons and daughters of the most powerful power brockers. Up till now, I found it difficult to understand that Adamu Atiku Abubakar who did not contest or participate in the election was whimsically announced as the flagbearer of the party in place of me as our party candidate of JAGAMATO federal constituency. Like I said, what happened was a daylight robbery where my mandate was forcefully hijacked and given to the son of the most powerful man in the party.
With this attitude, Atiku should stop projecting himself as the opposition leader if he can approve that kind of injustice to thrive. By that, he has automatically lost the moral latitude to challenge the iniquities of the ruling party because even the APC which he always attacks with passion, has conducted a semblance of election but in our case, a non aspirant was declared a winner in a purportedly shambolic arrangement after i was returned un-opposed due to the withdrawal of Suleiman Gangwaso which made me the automatic candidate being the lone person aspiring for JAGAMOTO reps position under ADC up to the closing day of our party primaries.
For over two years now I have been in the trenches criss crossing all the villages and hamlets of JAGAMATO looking for the people’s support. I have in the process established a strong grassroot network and a well organized structural framework that can propel me to victory anytime any day which I think was the reason for the withdrawal of my only opponent in the race. I have also invested huge resources in terms of man hours, finances and energy to get the people’s buy in, but because I’m the son of nobody, they have taken away my hard earned victory. Is this not tyrannical? Is this the kind of democracy we want to bequeath to our children?
You said Adamu Atiku Abubakar did not contest the election but was announced as the party candidate, can you give us your facts?
Bashir: Adamu Atiku Abubakar to the knowledge of everyone in our constituency did not aspire to become house of representatives member, he instead bought the expression of interest and nomination forms for the senate, campaigned to become the senatorial candidate of Adamawa South and fulfilled all righteousness to vie for the seat. As at Wednesday 20th of this month a day to our joint primaries, we knew Adamu to be pursuing senate ambition.
But to my dismay, on Thursday 21st May, 2026 I stumbled on a social media video post indicating that Adamu Atiku Abubakar was declared as ADC candidate of JAGAMATO. I actually took that news with a pinch of salt and believed that it was another fake news by undemocratic elements to cause confusion. But to my eternal shock, I came to realize that the social media post was true, Adamu was declared as the candidate in an election he never contested.
Don’t you think people will not take your claim that your mandate was stolen seriously since the party did not officially declare you the winner of the primaries?
Bashir: I believe that as a lone aspirant, I ought to be declared the candidate because of the fact that the only aspirant contesting against me, Sulaiman Gangwaso withdrew from the race on the eve of the election. That left me as the sole aspirant for JAGAMATO. But instead of that to be done, someone else was declared the candidate, so how would you fault my claim that my mandate was stolen?
Going forward what is your next line of action?
Bashir: First I have forwarded my petition to the party appeal committee to help rectify the anomaly within 12 days or else I may take the next available option of approaching the court to recover my mandate before the 14 days window elapses. In democracy, the court is the last resort of the common man. I will by the grace of God reclaim my mandate through legal means. And by the grace of God I will succeed in recovering the mandate for the good people Jada-Ganye, Toungo -Mayo Belwa who deserve the best. We won’t allow it to be taken away by power mongers.
