Jigawa ADC governorship aspirant rejects primary, petitions appeal panel

Bashir Adamu, a governorship aspirant for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Jigawa State, has formally rejected the outcome of the party's recent primary election. He has submitted a petition to the State Election Appeal Committee, demanding the nullification of the exercise due to alleged irregularities and bias.

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The entire primary election process was marred by irregularities, violations of party guidelines and undue interference by party officials.

The primary election, conducted across Jigawa's 27 local government areas to select candidates for the 2027 general elections, saw Senator Sabo Muhammad Nakudu declared the winner. The committee announced that Nakudu secured 35,939 votes, while Adamu polled 19,537 votes out of 55,476 valid votes cast. However, Adamu, a former member of the House of Representatives, insists the process was flawed and undemocratic.

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The chairman acted on directives from the State Executive Committee and abandoned the neutrality expected of his office.

In his petition dated June 3, 2026, Adamu accused party officials of interference and complicity in acts of thuggery. He specifically alleged that the chairman of the primary election committee compromised his neutrality by acting on directives from the State Executive Committee, which he claims was compromised to ensure Nakudu's emergence. "The chairman acted on directives from the State Executive Committee and abandoned the neutrality expected of his office," Adamu stated in the petition.

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The declaration did not reflect the true will of party members who participated in the exercise.

Adamu, who claims to have established the party's structures across the state, further alleged that election materials were deliberately delayed, particularly in the North-West Senatorial District. He also accused state and local government officials entrusted with election materials of influencing the outcome. The former lawmaker asserts that the declaration of Nakudu as the winner does not represent the genuine wishes of the party members who participated in the exercise.

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The State Executive Committee was compromised and allegedly directed its efforts towards ensuring the emergence of another aspirant, Sabo Nakudu, as the party’s candidate.