Minister defeats stepson to clinch house of reps ticket in Yobe

Khadija Ibrahim, minister of state foreign affairs, has defeated Mohammed Ibrahim, her stepson, to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Damaturu/Gulani/Gujba/Tarmuwa, Yobe federal constituency.

Abba Gambo, the returning officer of the election which ran into the night announced on Wednesday that Khadijah polled 1,295 votes to defeat Mohammed who scored only 15 votes.

According to NAN, Mohammed contested the election in spite of pressures mounted on him to step down for his father’s wife.

Two other contenders, including the lawmaker currently representing the constituency, Abdullahi Kukuwa, stepped down for the minister.

The minister commended Abdullahi for withdrawing from the race to support her win the election.

Bukar Ibrahim, her husband who is a serving senator, had also withdrawn from the race to pave way for the emergence of Ibrahim Gaidam, the incumbent governor.

Ibrahim did not attend any of the party primary elections including the one contested by his wife and son.

Meanwhile, some delegates criticised Khadija for running against her husband’s child in the election.

Mairo Shuaibu, a delegate from Tarmuwa local government, told NAN that “the inability of the family to settle their differences, for the son to step down for his step mother speaks of the instability in the house.”