KADUNA — Aggrieved aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the party’s national leadership to cancel what they described as “sham” House of Representatives and senatorial primary elections conducted in the state.
The aspirants, under the aegis of the Coalition of Kaduna Aggrieved Aspirants for APC Primary Elections to the National Assembly (CKEA), accused party officials of violating the APC constitution and imposing candidates through an alleged illegal consensus arrangement.
In a protest letter dated May 17, 2026, addressed to the APC National Chairman, the coalition rejected the House of Representatives primary elections conducted on May 16 and threatened further action if the party failed to intervene urgently.
The group alleged that party leaders abandoned democratic procedures by imposing consensus candidates without obtaining the mandatory written consent of all cleared aspirants as required under Article 20 of the APC Constitution.
According to the coalition, no proper primary elections were conducted in several constituencies and senatorial districts, while party members were denied the opportunity to vote for candidates of their choice.
The aspirants also accused committees overseeing the exercise of claiming they were acting on the directives of Governor Uba Sani, while alleging that the Kaduna State APC executive failed to stop the process despite widespread complaints.
They said the situation was particularly tense in Kaduna Central Senatorial District, where a committee reportedly led by Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe allegedly attempted to impose former senator Shehu Sani as consensus candidate.
The coalition noted that frontline aspirants, including former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani, and activist Shettima Yerima, rejected the arrangement and demanded transparent direct primaries.
The aggrieved aspirants warned that the disputed process could trigger legal battles capable of undermining the APC’s chances in the general elections.
They therefore demanded that the APC national leadership, within 24 hours, nullify all disputed consensus arrangements and the House of Representatives primaries held in Kaduna State, and conduct fresh direct primary elections for all affected senatorial districts and federal constituencies.
Signatories to the protest included Yusuf Bala Ikara, Mohammed Mu’azu Makaddas, Yerima Usman Shettima, Yusuf Zailani, Senator Danjuma Laah, Michael Ayuba Auta, Bashir Yusuf, Augustine Beguwa, Abdulazeez Abubakar Kaka, Yahaya Idris, and Sani Abdulkadir.
Copies of the petition were also sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
