How I was denied ranking senator position – Niger candidate

A Niger State aspirant for the forthcoming 2027 general elections Senator Mohammad Enagi has disclosed to Arewa PUNCH how he was denied from becoming a ranking senator Enagi a former senator during the 2019 to 2023 9th Assembly of the senate narrated to our correspondent that he won the election for the Niger South Senatorial District but was rigged out of election victory in ways he could not exactly explain.

According to him, he decided to take the bull by the horns one more time, hoping to clinch the office in order to become a ranking senator “Well, as a first timer in the senate, you are not regarded as a ranking senator.

But if I get back there now, I’ll be regarded as a ranking senator with a lot of influence and a lot of responsibilities. I may be made the chairman of one or two committees, and it is a lot of responsibilities with bigger roles, and I can assure you, I left Cenntal Bank as a director. So, with my exposure over the years, i know what impact im able to make in the Red Chamber.

“Before then, I was in First Bank. Wherever I go, I give them my best, and I do well,” he said.

The ex-senator, while defending the then serving governor of the state, Governor Sani Bello, said he (Bello) would not have supported the opposition PDP candidate to defeat him in the election

He continued, “I did not lose the election. If you were in Niger State, you would know what happened. I won the election. I had about 100 plus number of votes, whereas my opponent in the PDP had about 90 plus number of votes, but you know politics. I’m a gentleman.

“I ventured into politics from the Central Bank, which is a well structured environment. I’m not used to violence. The collation was completed by Sunday in the morning, but they didn’t announce the result. My boys wanted to enter the place and force them to announce it, but I said no, I don’t want any violence.

“Meanwhile, these people were busy trying to change results of two local government areas which they did; the results of Katcha Local Government and Lavun Local Government. In Katcha Local Government, I had 11,076 votes my opponent had more, I don’t know the figures. I think they had 11,500.

“They were ahead of me with some votes, but when they went to the collation centres, my own that was 11,076 was changed to 9,076. They reduced my vote there by 2000. The same thing they did in Lavun Local Government.

“ In the IREV platform, my name was there that I won the election with over 1,091 votes, but at the collation centre, it was a different story, and they later announced my opponent as the winner.

“It’s not everything I can say, but I’m sure you must have heard what happened. The demands and my refusal to comply

I’m sure you heard about what happened that time,” Enagi said.

The aspirant who also opened up on the number of humanitarian duties he carried out, maintained that he carried out several humanitarian and welfare activities as a first time senator, all of which culminated in his strong conviction of a victory and e return to the Senate during his second attempt.

“I can assure you that by the grace of Almighty Allah, we are going to clinch the position. We are going to win the election both the primary elections and the general elections by the grace of Almighty God.

“I am saying so because I am very optimistic; and because of my track record.

“We need somebody of quality character, somebody to represent Nupe people who should be somebody of goodly character,” Enagi pointed out.