Former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has clinched the presidential ticket of the People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN).
According to the Chairman, PPN Presidential Primary Elections Committee, Mr. Dare Adekolu, Al-Mustapha won with 3,564,262 votes to beat Dr. Imuetinyan Igbinnosa, who garnered 2,183,856 votes and Chief Isiaka Olorunnimbe who polled 1,400,755 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Al-Mustapha, promised Nigerians good leadership and promised to salvage the country and put it back on the path of growth and prospering.He urged members and Nigerians to support and vote for the party’s candidate in the 2019 presidential election.
“PPN has come to redeem Nigeria. PPN has come to save Nigeria from poverty, lack, unemployment and underdevelopment, hence the need for support,” Adekolu said.
Hamza al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, says he will join the presidential race if prevailed upon by Nigerians to do so.
Al-Mustapha gave the indication Wednesday in Kaduna in an interview shortly after a meeting with United Christian Leaders Eagle Eye Forum, which backed him to join the 2019 presidential race.
“I am not going to announce myself contesting for a presidential seat; but if people say so, that is the wish of the people.“I am not a power-thirsty person. If I were, I would have lost my personality long before now. But when people gather to speak and the decision is by them, then it is a call to serve,” the retired Major said.
According to him, his focus is the protection of the right of Nigerians as provided under the law.On the the Abacha loot, the former CSO to the late Head of State said he knew nothing about it.“The fact that some Nigerian leaders were corrupt does not mean that everyone that serves in government is a thief. Some of us can stand and challenge any institutions or individuals any day, any time.”
Earlier, Chairman of the United Christian Leaders Eagle Eye Forum, Pastor Aminchi Habu, said the forum, after critical analysis and observations, has endorsed al-Mustapha to contest in the forthcoming Presidential election in 2019.
He said the Forum will stand with al-Mustapha once he makes up his mind to run for the presidency because of his integrity.Hamza al-Mustapha was the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of General Sani Abacha, military head of state of Nigeria from November 1993 to June 1998. After Abacha’s death he was arrested and tried for murder and attempted murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. On 30 January 2012, a Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere convicted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha over the murder of Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola.
He was also sentenced to death by hanging but was discharged and acquitted of the crime by the appeal court, Lagos division on Friday, July 12, 2013. The appellate court said there was not enough evidence to incriminate Al-Mustapha in the murder of the Late Kudirat Abiola. On 12 July 2013, The Court of Appeal in Lagos discharged and acquitted Hamza Al-Mustapha from the murder of Kudirat Abiola.
The verdict overturned that of the Lagos High Court which sentenced him to death by hanging. The presiding judge, Justice Rita Pemu, accused the lower court jude, Justice Mojisola Dada, of being ‘‘stroked to secure a conviction by all means.’’ Consequently setting Al-Mustapha free.
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