The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State conducted its primary elections across all 25 local government areas on Saturday, ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, the process was overshadowed by widespread allegations of candidate imposition, irregularities, and protests from disgruntled members.
In Chanchaga Local Government Area, three aspirants initially vied for the party’s House of Representatives ticket before the incumbent, Abubakar Audu Buba, withdrew from the race, a move supporters said was aimed at fostering party unity.
Meanwhile, in Bosso Local Government Area, six aspirants competed for the APC ticket to represent the Bosso/Paikoro Federal Constituency. Voting in several wards across the state reportedly began late due to high voter turnout and logistical issues.
Despite these delays, security personnel ensured order, and no significant violence was reported in Chanchaga and Bosso/Paikoro constituencies.
However, the primaries in Gurara/Tafa/Suleja and Shiroro federal constituencies were marred by accusations of candidate imposition, sparking protests and disagreements among party members.
In the Mokwa/Lavun/Edati Federal Constituency, former State House of Assembly Speaker Adamu Usman emerged as the consensus candidate.
Public dissatisfaction was evident in several local government areas, with aggrieved members accusing party officials of manipulating the process and forcing aspirants on them.
Adamu Makun Sheikh, an aspirant in Paikoro Local Government Area, claimed that elections were conducted in only a few of the 11 wards, leaving the process inconclusive. He stated that the exercise was rescheduled for Sunday morning, but party officials failed to appear at the designated venue. “We were all at the venue, but none of the officials showed up,” he said, threatening legal action if the reported irregularities were not addressed.
Similarly, Shehu Samaila Auna, an APC aspirant for the Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency, rejected the emergence of Professor Yakubu Auna as the consensus candidate. In a statement to journalists in Minna, he described the decision as unilateral and not reflective of the collective will of party members. He called on the APC National Working Committee and State Executive Committee to cancel the consensus arrangement and conduct a direct primary, citing Article 20 of the APC Constitution and Section 84(9) of the Electoral Act. He argued that no written agreement existed among aspirants to support a consensus candidate, insisting that the adoption of Professor Yakubu Auna amounted to imposition under the guise of consensus.