Hamza Al-Mustapha has won the presidential primary of the Action Alliance (AA) for the 2023 General Election.
Major Al-Mustapha (rtd) polled 506 votes through an option-A voting process against his only opponent,Samson Odupitam, who got 216 votes at the party’s Special National Convention in Abuja on Thursday.
Two other aspirants, Tunde Anifowose and Felix Osakwe had earlier stepped down from the presidential race for Al-Mustapha.
A total of 972 delegates were to vote, however, 851 delegates were accredited and 721 votes were cast.
After his victory, Al-Mustapha thanked the party’s National Electoral Committee for the “very transparent” conduct of the election.
“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 a 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,” he said.
Al-Mustapha was the Chief Security Officer to former military Head of State, Sani Abacha who died in office on 8 June 1998.
He was an all-powerful security chief who was reportedly respected and feared by his superiors in the Army.
He called a meeting of senior military officers to deliberate on Abacha’s successor after the former Head of State died.
