Hon. Rambi Ayala, the minority leader of the Gombe State House of Assembly and a leading figure in the opposition New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has refuted claims that Hon. Khamisu Mailantarki, a candidate for governor for their party, received N2 billion from Governor Inuwa Yahaya in order to secure his victory in the most recent governorship election.
At the conclusion of the stakeholders conference called by the party leadership to examine its performance in the most recent elections in the state, he denied the allegations in an interview with journalists yesterday.
Ayala claimed that the tale was made up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to damage the candidate’s reputation due to his acceptance and popularity with the general public.
He continued by saying that since Mailantarki’s opponents were uneasy about the gifts and favors he gave out throughout the campaign, they concocted the accusation that he had received money from the governor in order to give up his ambition.
He claimed that the propaganda and fictitious court order that their opponents had extensively disseminated suggested that a judge had disqualified the NNPP candidate from running for office were to blame for the party’s inability to win the election.
The PDP, the current administration, and the APC were all tense. They therefore brought a variety of propaganda and lies in order to market their goods.
“Let me add that this is one guy who took on the duty of leading a party, NNPP, that was previously nonexistent. However, within six months, Khamisu Mailantarki transformed this party into a nightmare for the APC and PDP.
“This one guy gave so many things to so many others. We have 114 wards, to provide one example. He gave 114 ward chairmen motorcycles worth N400,000 each. He gave out more than 50 automobiles. With his own money, he has donated a great deal of goods to the community. Something that not even the current administration, let alone PDP, could do.
“They introduced all kinds of lies because they thought he posed a threat. Actually, according to PDP supporters, Mailantarki works for the APC. Mailantarki, according to the APC supporters, works for the PDP. Which one are you going to pick?” he said.
Additionally, the party’s secretary, Comrade Nasiru Baba Sheriff, stated that the meeting’s objectives were to analyze the party’s performance in the state elections in 2023, make remedies for any errors, and develop a strategy for future elections.
