The All Progressives Congress(APC) House of Assembly primaries in Sokoto state did not hold in Kebbe local government as the candidate pencilled to represent the constituency chickened out at the last minute: he aimed higher as he wanted to represent the area in the House of Representatives, as a successor to Aminu Tambuwal, speaker of the House.

The arrangement had been that Abdusalam Ibrahim Dasuki, brother of Sambo Dasuki, the National Security Adviser would continue to represent Kebbe LG in the House of Assembly, while Bala Kokane, former chairman of Kebbe LG would represent the larger Kebbe/Tambuwal constituency in the House of Representatives.

But Dasuki failed to honour the arrangement. He now said he was interested in the House of Representatives seat as well and he seemed to enjoy the support of some party stalwarts.

However Kokane whose supporters have vowed not to compromise.

“We are behind Kokane come rain come sunshine. It is the turn of Kebbe people. For the past 12 years, Tambuwal has been producing both Senate and Representatives from the federal constituency. Now that Speaker Tambuwal is vying for governorship in the state, we deem it right to replace him with somebody from Kebbe which has not produced a representative more than once since 1999”, said a Kokane supporter.

In other primary elections in the state, a former Principal at the Federal Government College Sokoto now retired, Garba Bello Yabo was unanimously voted to contest for the only seat for Yabo in the assembly.

Speaking to reporters on field to monitor the exercise, chairman of Yabo local government, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Shamaki confirmed the early arrival of materials, security agents and party agents.

He said: “We are most fortunate that the aspirant is a popular person who is desired by delegates to emerge unopposed”.

In Bodinga North Abubakar Magaji was picked unopposed as the candidate. But in Bodinga South, Aminu Bala defeated Tukur Bala to emerge the candidate

Many candidates in the LGs were picked by consensus.

INEC officials as well as security agents including men of the SSS arrived on time in many LGs to witness the conduct of the primary elections.