2023: Abacha’s Security Officer, Hamza Al-Mustapha Wins AA Presidential Ticket

Major Hamza Al Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late military Head of State General Sani Abacha, has won the presidential ticket of the Action Alliance (AA) to participate in the 2023 general election.

Hamza Al Mustapha AA Presidential Candidate

The former security officer was declared the winner after polling a total of 506 votes to defeat his only opponent, Samson Odupitan, at the AA presidential primary held on Thursday in Abuja.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two aspirants — Tunde Anifowose and Felix Osakwe — withdrew from the presidential race for Al-Mustapha.

A total of 972 delegates were expected to participate in the exercise, but 851 delegates were accredited and 721 votes were cast.

In his victory speech after the primary, Al-Mustapha thanked the party’s electoral committee for the successful conduct of the exercise.

He said, “From all indications, this was a very transparent exercise and I commend other aspirants for their efforts to ensure that the party remains united.

“I also commend Mr Odupitan for contesting, because if everybody withdrew, there won’t be victory as we have seen today.

“I appreciate all party delegates, supporters, and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who have all defied the rain to witness this event.

“I promise that our votes cast today would not be in vain and I indulge us to please obtain a permanent voter card (PVC), because that is the surest way to be victorious come 2023 general election.”

On his part, AA national chairman, Kenneth Udeze congratulated the presidential candidate and other aspirants for contesting, and called for synergy among all the aspirants to enable the party win at the 2023 election.

KanyiDaily recalls that Hamza Al-Mustapha had promised to relocate to the Sambisa forest, to end Boko Haram insurgency in six months if elected as the President of Nigeria in 2023.