Women Groups Petition National Chairman, Reject Bauchi Governorship Primary

A coalition of women groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State has petitioned the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, alleging that the state’s governorship primary election lacked credibility and failed to meet the standards of a free and fair democratic process.

The petition, dated June 29, 2026, was made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Monday by the Coalition of APC Women Groups representing supporters of all governorship aspirants in the state.

In the letter, signed by the convener of the group, Salamtu K Giade, the women expressed what they described as “profound concern and disappointment” over the conduct of the purported primary, alleging that the process resulted in a “forced consensus” that produced former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar as the party’s governorship candidate.

According to the coalition, the exercise did not inspire confidence among many party members and had led to growing dissatisfaction within the APC, with some supporters leaving the party for other political platforms.

The group maintained that its petition was not intended to promote the interest of any individual aspirant but to protect the integrity of the APC and uphold the principles of justice, transparency, fairness, and internal democracy.

The coalition urged the National Working Committee to review the circumstances surrounding what it described as a governorship primary “that did not hold” but nevertheless produced a candidate through a manipulated consensus.

It also appealed to the party’s national leadership to take steps to restore confidence in the APC’s internal democratic processes in Bauchi State and ensure that future nomination exercises reflect the party’s constitution and democratic ideals.

The women further argued that addressing their concerns objectively would strengthen party unity, rebuild public confidence, and improve the APC’s chances in the 2027 governorship election.