Kaduna APC Primaries: Aggrieved Aspirants Protest
The crisis surrounding the All Progressives Congress senatorial primaries in Kaduna State intensified on Tuesday as hundreds of supporters of dissatisfied aspirants took to the streets in protest, alleging irregularities and breaches of party guidelines.
The protesters marched through major parts of Kaduna metropolis, including Muhammadu Buhari Way and Ahmadu Bello Way, demanding the cancellation of the primaries held across the state’s three senatorial districts.
The protest followed the emergence of Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, former Governor Ramalan Yero, and former Senator Shehu Sani as winners of the APC senatorial tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Carrying placards with messages such as “There was no APC primaries in Kaduna” and “APC must save democracy,” the demonstrators insisted that the exercise lacked transparency and fairness.
Former Senator Danjuma Laah led the protest alongside other aggrieved aspirants, including Michael Ayuba Auta and Yusuf Bala Ikara.
Earlier at a press briefing held at the Kaduna State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the aggrieved aspirants threatened legal action if the party failed to address their complaints.
Speaking for the group, Laah accused the APC of abandoning the direct primary system approved by the party’s National Working Committee.
According to him, “The National Working Committee approved direct primaries, but what took place was an unauthorised delegate system.”
The protesters claimed many party members were denied the opportunity to vote at the ward level as required by the approved guidelines.
They also criticised the Kaduna South senatorial primary that produced Katung as winner, alleging poor monitoring and lack of transparency throughout the process.
The group further alleged that electoral materials and officials were not properly deployed to several wards and polling centres during the exercise.
They argued that the conduct of the primaries violated provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the APC constitution relating to nomination procedures and internal democracy.
The aggrieved aspirants called on the APC National Working Committee, the party’s appeal committee, and INEC to intervene and organise fresh primaries across Kaduna North, Kaduna Central, and Kaduna South senatorial districts.
Among those listed as dissatisfied aspirants were former Kaduna State House of Assembly Speaker Yusuf Zailani, Mohammed Mu’azu Makkadas, and other contenders from the three senatorial zones.
They warned that failure by the party leadership to address their grievances could threaten unity within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
The APC primaries held on Monday produced a mix of serving and former political heavyweights as candidates, but the outcome has continued to spark controversy, with several aspirants alleging manipulation, exclusion of members, and non-compliance with the approved primary process.
