“APC Primary Fallout Spreads” — Plateau Lawmakers Lose Tickets, Kaduna Aspirants Protest, Sule Wins Nasarawa As Kogi East Seeks Tinubu’s Intervention

The fallout from the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial and House of Representatives primaries continued to spread across multiple states on Tuesday, with no fewer than six Plateau State lawmakers losing their re-election tickets, aggrieved aspirants in Kaduna State staging a public protest and demanding the cancellation of all three senatorial primaries, Kogi East stakeholders calling on President Tinubu to intervene over what they described as a “sham” exercise, and Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State securing a landslide victory for the Nasarawa North senatorial ticket.

Meanwhile, all three sitting senators from Zamfara State were returned in commanding fashion, and former House of Representatives member Israel Sunny-Goli defeated incumbent Senator Benson Agadaga in a Bayelsa East landslide that underscored the brutal nature of the primary season for defecting senators.

Plateau: Six Lawmakers Fall, Gagdi Reversal

The APC in Plateau State announced the full results of the National Assembly primaries on Tuesday night through Stella Okotete, chairperson of the party’s National Assembly primaries committee in the state.

The results confirmed that six sitting lawmakers lost their re-election bids across the state’s senatorial and House of Representatives contests.

In a notable reversal from earlier reports, the committee declared Yusuf Adamu Gagdi as the APC candidate for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, stating that he defeated Dr John Tongshinen. This contradicts an earlier announcement by a different electoral committee chairman, Daspan Ishaya, who had declared Tongshinen the winner with 29,968 votes to Gagdi’s 5,849 — a discrepancy that is likely to generate further controversy and possible legal challenges.

In the Plateau North Senatorial District, Simon Mwadkon defeated sitting Senator Pam Mwadkon Dachungyang. In Plateau Central, Bitrus Barji emerged winner after defeating incumbent Senator Diket Plang. Former Governor Simon Lalong secured the APC return ticket for Plateau South Senatorial District.

In the House of Representatives, the results showed Joe Dashe defeating sitting lawmaker John Dafaan in Qua’anpan/Shendam/Mikang; Bitrus Bagos unseating Ajang Iliya in Jos South/Jos East; Abubakar Shuaibu defeating incumbent Daniel Asama in Jos North/Bassa; and Beni Lar unseating Vincent Bulus in Langtang North/Langtang South. Serving members Ishaya Lalu (Mangu/Bokkos) and Idris Wase (Wase) retained their tickets, while Dalyop Fom was declared the APC candidate for Barkin Ladi/Riyom.

Okotete stressed that the primaries were conducted in line with the APC constitution and approved guidelines, and that only results submitted by duly accredited and recognised electoral officers were announced.

Kaduna: Aspirants Reject Results, Stage Protest

The crisis in the APC in Kaduna State deepened significantly as former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, former Senator Danjuma Laah, and other aggrieved aspirants rejected the outcome of all three senatorial primaries, insisting that no valid exercise took place across the state.

The aggrieved members staged a public protest within Kaduna metropolis, carrying placards and addressing journalists with demands for the cancellation of the results and the conduct of fresh primaries.

Zailani, who contested the Kaduna Central senatorial ticket, described the exercise as a “sham” through his campaign council’s Deputy Director-General, Hon. Cafra Caino. “Party faithful were at various ward and party offices for the exercise and after several hours of waiting in vain, there were no election materials in sight,” Caino stated.

The campaign council said it could not recognise the announced results — which had declared Shehu Sani the winner with 9,105 votes — because they did not reflect the will of party members. “We unequivocally reject the purported result announced for the Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone primary election,” Caino declared.

Former Senator Danjuma Laah, who lost the Kaduna South primary to Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, accused the party leadership of abandoning the direct primary system approved by the APC NWC. “The National Working Committee officially approved direct primaries for the exercise, but what was conducted was an unauthorised delegate system,” Laah alleged.

Other aggrieved aspirants including Michael Ayuba Auta and Yusuf Bala Ikara joined the protest, with the group faulting the Kaduna South primary in particular as lacking transparency and proper monitoring.

The aspirants alleged that electoral materials and officials were absent in several wards and polling centres, arguing that the exercise violated Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 and Article 20 of the APC constitution on nomination procedures and internal democracy. They called on the APC NWC, the party’s appeal committee, and INEC to nullify the exercise and conduct fresh primaries across all three senatorial districts.

Kogi East: Stakeholders Demand Tinubu’s Intervention

Stakeholders of the APC in Kogi East formally rejected the outcome of the senatorial primary conducted on May 18, dismissing the entire exercise as a sham and a blatant mockery of internal democracy.

In a statement signed by Ibrahim Mohammed and other representatives, the group raised pointed questions about the credibility of the reported results, highlighting what they described as the absurdity of serving Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho and other prominent political figures including Dr Kashim Akor and Muritala Ajaka being credited with zero votes in their own polling units.

“It defies logic for anyone to claim that a serving senator scored zero votes in his own polling unit. Does this imply that the candidate, along with his relatives, aides, and supporters, failed to vote? Furthermore, how can it be asserted that figures like Dr Kashim Akor or Muritala Ajaka received zero votes? Are we to believe these candidates did not vote for themselves?” the statement read.

The stakeholders warned that the electoral fraud posed a significant threat to the party’s future in the state, invoking the collapse of the PDP as a cautionary tale. “The downfall of the Peoples Democratic Party began with the erosion of internal democracy. The APC must not tread the same path,” the group cautioned.

They urgently called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and call Governor Ahmed Ododo and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, to order. The group insisted that the leadership must acknowledge the resolution of the people of Kogi East: “that there was no primary election, and consequently, there are no winners or losers.”

Nasarawa: Governor Sule Wins Landslide

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State secured the APC ticket for Nasarawa North Senatorial District in a commanding victory, polling 45,393 votes to defeat his only challenger, former Deputy Governor and immediate past Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, Silas Ali Agara, who scored 2,915 votes.

The result was announced in Akwanga, headquarters of the senatorial district, by the Chairman of the Nasarawa State APC National Assembly Primary Elections Committee, Musa Shuaibu Guri.

“Abdullahi Sule, having satisfied the requirements of the APC constitution and guidelines and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared winner of the primary election and returned elected as the party’s senatorial candidate for Nasarawa North Senatorial District,” Guri stated.

Zamfara: All Three Senators Return

All three sitting senators from Zamfara State were returned in the APC primaries with overwhelming margins.

Senator Abdulaziz Yari won Zamfara West with 125,235 votes out of 125,311 cast, defeating Nasiru Zarumi who polled just 76 votes. Senator Ikra Bilbis won Zamfara Central with 127,686 votes out of 136,419 cast, defeating Lubna Muhammad (140 votes) and Aliyu Akilu-Muhammad (8,593 votes). Senator Sahabi Ya’u won Zamfara North with 65,642 votes, defeating Hannafi Musa-Moriki, Sani Abdullahi-Shinkafi, and Tijjani Yahaya.

Chairman of the Senatorial Primary Election Committee, Prof. Ishaq Bala, described the exercise as transparent and peaceful, with no reports of violence or major disputes. He urged aggrieved aspirants to submit complaints to the party’s appeal committee, scheduled to sit on May 28 in Gusau.

Bayelsa East: Agadaga Crushed

In one of the most lopsided results of the primary season, Senator Benson Agadaga — who came to the Senate in 2023 on the PDP platform before defecting to the APC — was comprehensively defeated in the Bayelsa East senatorial primary.

Former House of Representatives member Israel Sunny-Goli polled 76,725 votes across Brass, Nembe, and Ogbia Local Government Areas to emerge the winner. Agadaga managed just 414 votes, while a third aspirant, Amalayon Yuosuo, polled 2,959 votes. The margin of over 76,000 votes makes it one of the most decisive defeats of any defecting senator in the entire primary cycle.

Speaking after his victory, Sunny-Goli thanked Governor Douye Diri for creating a peaceful and credible atmosphere for the exercise. “Your confidence in me will not be misplaced. I will pursue a participatory representation that focuses on the growth, unity and progress of our district,” Sunny-Goli stated.

The Acting Amanayabo of Okpoama Kingdom, High Chief Nathan Egba-Dienegha, described the result as unsurprising, citing Sunny-Goli’s popularity and past achievements. “He is a more popular candidate and a great achiever. I am sure when he gets to the National Assembly, he will perform and never disappoint the whole of Bayelsa,” the monarch said.

Incumbent Senators Lose return tickets in Ondo

Also, two serving Senators – Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Olajide Ipinsagba – have lost the bids to return to the National Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While Aegbomire represents Ondo Central, Ipinsagba represents Ondo North at the National Assembly.

Recall that if the results are ratified by the National Working Committee of the party, the two serving senators will lose their seats.

Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, Isaac Kekemeke, and Gbenga Otolorin Elegbeleye emerged as the party’s candidates for Ondo Central, Ondo South, and Ondo North Senatorial Districts, respectively.

The results were announced at the APC State Secretariat in Akure by the Chairman of the National Assembly Primary Election Committee, Hon. Iboroma Harry Dabibi, following the submission of results by returning officers from the three senatorial districts.

Announcing the outcome of the Ondo Central Senatorial District primary election, Dabibi said, “Dr Taiwo Fasoranti scored 36,652 votes to emerge winner of the exercise.”

He stated that incumbent Adegbonmire secured 5,733 votes, while Sylvester Muyiwa Adu polled 1,245 votes.

In the Ondo South Senatorial District primary election, the committee chairman disclosed that Isaac Kekemeke emerged victorious after polling 35,000 votes.

According to him, Akinfolarin Mayowa Samuel recorded 6,435 votes, Barrister Morayo Lebi secured 1,875 votes, while Akingboye Taiwo Oyewumi polled 842 votes.

Dabibi further stated that Princess Catherine Oladunni Odu garnered 290 votes, Rt. Hon. Jumoke Akindele recorded 339 votes, while Agboola Ajayi secured 670 votes.

Speaking on the Ondo North Senatorial District primary election, he said, “Gbenga Elegbeleye polled 28,062 votes to emerge winner.”

He added that Ajipe Alex secured 17,313 votes, while incumbent Senator Olajide Ipinsagba recorded 9,819 votes.

Adeogun Adejoro polled 3,845 votes, Abdul Tunji Muhammed (ATM) secured 1,076 votes, while Michael Adeyanju recorded 640 votes.

Updated Summary of Key Results

The Bigger Picture

The results from Plateau, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Zamfara, and Bayelsa add to the growing body of evidence that the APC primary season has produced deep fractures within the ruling party. The pattern of incumbent senators and representatives being swept aside, combined with allegations of manipulation, violence, and the wholesale rejection of results in states like Kaduna and Kogi East, presents the party with a reconciliation challenge of enormous proportions.

The conflicting Gagdi results in Plateau State where two different committees have announced opposite outcomes for the same constituency represent a particularly acute problem that the NWC will need to resolve definitively to avoid legal challenges.

The aggrieved aspirants’ invocation of Section 84 of the Electoral Act and Article 20 of the APC constitution in their protests provides a legal framework for potential court challenges that could further delay the party’s candidate selection process as the 2027 election timeline tightens.

The APC’s appeal committees are expected to sit in the coming days to receive complaints from aggrieved aspirants, but the depth of anger expressed in public protests and formal rejection statements suggests that internal appeal mechanisms alone may not be sufficient to resolve the crisis, with many aspirants already signalling their readiness to pursue litigation.

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