Aggrieved aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State’s three senatorial districts have rejected the outcome of the party’s senatorial primaries, alleging widespread irregularities and violations of electoral guidelines.
The dissenting group includes former Senator for Kaduna South, Danjuma La’ah, alongside Michael Ayuba Auta and Yusuf Bala Ikara, who also contested senatorial seats in their respective zones.
On Tuesday, the aspirants staged a protest after a press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Kaduna, where they demanded the cancellation of the exercise.
They called on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to nullify the primaries conducted in Kaduna North, Kaduna Central, and Kaduna South senatorial districts, and to organize fresh direct primaries under strict national supervision to ensure credibility and transparency.
Speaking on behalf of the group, La’ah alleged that the process breached provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the APC constitution.
The aspirants specifically faulted the Kaduna South senatorial primary, which produced Senator Sunday Marshall Katung as winner, insisting that the exercise lacked transparency and failed to follow agreed procedures.
They claimed that although direct primaries were approved by the party leadership, what was eventually conducted resembled a delegate system, denying many party members the opportunity to vote at ward level.
According to them, there was poor deployment of electoral officials and materials across several wards, which they said undermined the credibility of the entire process.
They further argued that the conduct of the primaries violated Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 and Article 20 of the APC constitution, both of which govern nomination procedures and internal democracy.
The group also appealed to the APC national leadership, the party’s appeal committee, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intervene and ensure a fair and transparent rerun.
Other aggrieved aspirants mentioned include former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani, and Mohammed Mu’azu Makkadas.
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