A crisis of confidence is brewing in the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of a fresh primary to select the party's candidate for Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency. The dispute centres on one of the aspirants who, following a Court of Appeal order, has petitioned both the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee accusing the party's National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, of bias.
In the petition, Honourable Hassan Umar Dangaladima alleged that the APC national chairman unilaterally constituted the panel to conduct the rescheduled primary without convening the National Working Committee, which he superintends. He stated that no meeting of the NWC was held for that purpose, no quorum deliberated on the committee's composition, and the nomination was never presented to, ratified or approved by either organ as required by the Party's Constitution. He further argued that members of the committee are known loyalists, supporters and/or agents of Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, creating a manifest conflict of interest.
The petitioner also alleged that his main rival, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, is not a card-carrying member of the Party. He cited a Certified True Copy of the Register of Members of the APC for Birnin Magaji Ward submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirms Jaji's name is absent from the register. A formal demand to this effect was made by letter dated 4th November 2026 from Trinity Chambers (D.C. Enwelum, SAN) in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2026 — Hon. Hassan Umar v. Aminu Sani Jaji & 4 Ors. Under Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, only registered members may vote and be voted for in party primaries; therefore, the aspirant is ineligible to contest the court-ordered primary.
Honourable Dangaladima further argued that aspirants were deliberately kept in the dark about the committee's composition to achieve a predetermined outcome. He contended that the membership was never published in advance, no screening or vetting mechanism was applied, and the manner of the committee's constitution violates the rules of natural justice, the principle of internal democracy enshrined in the Party's Constitution, the Party's guidelines for primaries, and the Electoral Act. The petition urged the APC NEC to halt the fresh primary and order a new set of individuals to conduct it.
He cautioned that proceeding with the existing committee would damage the ruling party's electoral fortunes in the North West state during the forthcoming general elections. Unless urgently rescinded, he warned, the committee cannot conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable primary, and any outcome would be a nullity in law, vulnerable to being set aside and potentially exposing the Party to statutory sanctions including exclusion of its candidate from the election altogether.
Copies of the petition were sent to the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), the National Vice Chairman, North West, the party National Legal Adviser, the Zamfara State Chairman, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Zamfara State Director of DSS, the INEC Chairman, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, among others.
Reacting to the allegations, Abimbola Tooki, media aide to the APC national chairman, dismissed the petition as lacking substance. He told Nigerian Tribune that decisions taken on party matters have never been taken by his principal without recourse to the party's national organ, the NWC. He said the allegation is completely unfounded and does not reflect the established decision-making process of the All Progressives Congress. According to him, the NWC has always operated as a collective decision-making body, with members working together, deliberating on issues and taking decisions in the overall interest of the party. He maintained that there were no unilateral decisions regarding the composition of the election panel for the Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency.