Kashim Musa Tumsah won't contest Monday's APC governorship primary in Yobe State. The lawyer and diplomat announced his disqualification on Thursday in Damaturu.
Party screeners rejected his candidacy. According to him, they cited issues with his nomination process.
"I received with extreme sadness the news that I have not been cleared by the APC screening committee due to my nomination mostly by non-financial members," Tumsah said in a statement to journalists.
He noted the problem: most of those who nominated him weren't financial party members. This violated screening requirements, it appears.
Despite the setback, Tumsah accepted the party's decision gracefully. He consulted widely before making this choice.
"After due consultation with my family, supporters and APC national and state stakeholders, I have decided to accept the decision of the party in good faith as the will of Allah, with the strong belief that Allah's timing is always right," he stated.
Tumsah praised those who backed his ambitions throughout the campaign. He called their journey together an "exciting" one.
His campaign pushed for new political values in Yobe. "We have demonstrated to the citizenry that a new kind of people-centric politics is possible," the aspirant noted.
Now he's shifting focus to the bigger picture. He called on party members to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election efforts.
He also urged supporters to back whoever wins the APC's governorship ticket in the state. Unity matters more now, he suggested.
Tumsah vowed his "KMT movement" remains active regardless. Community support and interventions will continue across Yobe, he promised.
