A member of the State Working Committee (SWC), who asked not to be named, told SaharaReporters: "Our engagement with Modi was a sort of eye-opener for most of us about how the present government neglected us in the past three years... Majority of us are aware of the Governor's antics, we know that giving Bindow a second mandate will be suicidal for us in the SWC, so for some us it’s time to taķe our pound of flesh.”
Some Adamawa State delegates who were hitherto loyal to Governor Jibirilla Bindow have pledged their loyalty to Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed, Aisha Buhari's brother, who is seeking the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in the state.
A member of the State Working Committee (SWC), who asked not to be named, told SaharaReporters: "Our engagement with Modi was a sort of eye-opener for most of us about how the present government neglected us in the past three years.
"This is the first time in four years when the state chapter of the party is getting a cash donation of N10 million; in fact, the last time we got this kind of money was in 2014 when Atiku was leader of the party.
"And you may have known that we brought Bindow against all odds in 2014; we rejected Atiku's moneybag aspirant thinking Bindow will value our sacrifice.
"Alas! Three years on, in fact, before his third year into the office, it was almost impossible for most of the SWC members to access the Government House.
"Majority of us are aware of the Governor's antics, we know that giving Bindow a second mandate will be suicidal for us in the SWC, so for some us it’s time to taķe our pound of flesh.”
SaharaReporters can further report that Modi's ambition has caused no small ripples in the camp of the Governor. Accordingly, a process is in motion to verify the loyalty of EXCO members ahead of the governorship nomination.
During his engagement with the party, Ahmed, who is best known as Modi, identified systemic failure and lack of transparency in governance as reasons for his decision to challenge Bindow in 2019.
He was led to the APC state Secretariat by mammoth crowd through a motorcade where he informed the party officials of his intention to vie for the governorship ticket.
"I decided to contest our party's ticket because of the failure of government in our dear state,” he said.
"It is obvious to all that ours is a collapsed system here; that's why nothing is working in Adamawa State. The local government system has collapsed, so also other critical sectors in the state.
"Worst of all, there is no contractor working in the state; I challenge all of you to point out one contractor who is from this state. And you will agree that government is not ran this way anywhere.”
Chairman of the party, Ibrahim Bilal, assured the governorship aspirant, of a level playing field for all contestants.
says he will “pick the APC Governorship ticket irrespective of whether indirect or direct mode is adopted for nomination by my party".
Modi, who is President Muhammadu Buhari's brother in-law, dropped the assurance in a chat with Sahara Reporters exclusively, after conferring with Adamawa State party officials at the highest level in Yola.