Dikko Radda, former SMEDAN director-general, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket in Katsina.

Abbas Umar Masanawa, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC)’s erstwhile managing director, was dumped out of the race.

Mr Radda beat seven other aspirants at the party’s primary election in Katsina on Friday to clinch the ticket.

The chairman of the electoral committee, Kaka Shehu, while announcing the results, said Mr Radda scored 506 votes to emerge winner. Former secretary to the Katsina state government, Mustapha Inuwa scored 442 votes while Mr Masanawa, got 436 votes.

“Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua scored 32 votes, Alhaji Faruq Jobe, 71, Abdulkarim Dauda, seven, Umar Tata eight votes, the state deputy governor, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, 65 votes while Ahmed Dangiwa scored 220 votes,” added Mr Shehu. “We have 1,805 voters and were all accredited, out of which four votes were recorded as invalid.”

In his response, Mr Radda commended the electoral officials for conducting a free, fair and transparent primary election.

He also commended Governor Aminu Masari for  not interfering with the process.

Mr Radda called on the other aspirants to join in building the party to ensure its success in the 2023 general elections.

“I wish to appeal to you all to support me in building the party and also ensure its success, because I alone cannot succeed in that,” added the APC governorship candidate.

In a related development, Lado Danmarke won the gubernatorial ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

(NAN)