APC Primaries: More Aspirants Protest Alleged Imposition, Irregularities

The All Progressives Congress (APC) finds itself embroiled in a deepening crisis of internal democracy as aggrieved aspirants voice strong objections to the conduct of recent primaries for the 2027 general elections. Reports from Zamfara, Kogi, Plateau, and Osun states paint a grim picture of alleged candidate imposition, result manipulation, and a blatant disregard for established democratic procedures.

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The disputes, which cut across Zamfara, Kogi, Plateau and Osun states, have triggered protests, petitions, legal threats and calls for the cancellation of the exercises, with aspirants alleging irregularities ranging from fabricated results and exclusion of cleared contestants to alleged interference by influential political figures.

These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a systemic issue that threatens to undermine the party's electoral strength. Aspirants, who have invested time, resources, and political capital, feel betrayed by a process they claim is rigged against them. Allegations range from fabricated results and the exclusion of duly screened candidates to the undue influence of powerful political figures pulling the strings behind the scenes.

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Some of the aggrieved aspirants warned that the crises could undermine the party’s electoral fortunes if not urgently addressed, recalling previous instances where flawed primaries led to the nullification of APC victories by the courts.

The warnings from these aggrieved aspirants are stark and carry significant weight. They recall the painful lessons of the past, where flawed primaries led directly to court-ordered nullification of APC victories. Allowing such irregularities to persist risks repeating these costly mistakes, potentially handing electoral advantages to opposition parties and eroding public trust in the APC's commitment to fair play.

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Dr Sani Shinkafi, on Thursday wrote the national chairman of the APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, protesting the alleged “imposition” of Senator Sahabi Yau as the sole candidate for the Zamfara North senatorial ticket.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's pronouncements on adhering to democratic principles and the rule of law now face a critical test. The party leadership, under National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, must urgently intervene to address these disputes. Failure to do so not only risks alienating loyal party members but also signals a dangerous precedent that internal democracy is secondary to the machims of political expediency. The APC must demonstrate that it can conduct its affairs with the transparency and fairness it expects from the nation's electoral system.

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He lamented that the process leading to the senatorial primaries was not conducted in line with democratic principles, the APC constitution, and provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, insisting that the arrangement amounted to imposition rather than consensus.