A female aspirant vying for the House of Representatives seat representing Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency in Taraba State, Liya Samuel Lucy, has raised concerns regarding the All Progressives Congress (APC) failure to conduct its primary election as scheduled on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Lucy noted that she and numerous party members across the state waited throughout the day for officials from the APC National Secretariat to oversee the process, but the election never took place. Reports indicate that the party’s electoral committee and materials reached Jalingo, the state capital, around 3 pm on Saturday, which apparently hindered the distribution of materials to all 168 wards before the end of the day.
Speaking to journalists, Lucy urged the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, to step in and instruct the electoral committee in Taraba State to formally brief aspirants on the current situation and the next steps. She expressed frustration that since the committee’s arrival, aspirants have received no official word about a postponement or new date.
Lucy described the development as a violation of aspirants’ rights, emphasizing that party members deserve clear information about the electoral process. She added that as Nigeria’s ruling party, the APC should exemplify transparency and credibility in its internal elections for other parties to follow.
“I call on the National Chairman of our great party, the APC, to ensure a new date is set and properly conveyed to all aspirants in the state. The silence from the electoral committee is unacceptable to us,” she said.
“The committee arrived in the state and met with the State Working Committee, but we have heard nothing from them. There was no press briefing explaining why the election did not happen on Saturday, nor did they inform the people of Taraba State when the election would be conducted.
“We are completely in the dark about the entire process, and we demand clarification from the National Chairman,” Lucy added.