North-West APC engulfed in crisis, no primaries in Kaduna – Sen Laah
By Mohammed Sule
The crisis rocking the senatorial and House of Representatives primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened across the North-West, with aggrieved aspirants and party stakeholders accusing governors and influential party leaders of hijacking the process to impose preferred candidates.
The allegations, which have continued to generate tension within the party, are strongest in key North-West states including Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Party insiders alleged that some governors used state structures and financial influence to determine the composition of congress committees and delegates, thereby weakening internal democracy and shutting out popular aspirants who would have won in clear contests.
According to sources within the party, several aspirants who enjoyed grassroots support were allegedly edged out in favour of candidates backed by governors and powerful figures within the APC hierarchy.
“There is growing anger among party members because many of the candidates who emerged were not the popular choices of delegates and party loyalists,” a party stakeholder said.
The controversy also reportedly involved some recently defected governors who were allegedly given wide control by the party leadership to decide candidates for legislative seats in their states.
Another source accused a powerful bloc within the party of working with officials at the APC national headquarters in Abuja to disqualify selected aspirants, including some serving lawmakers, in order to pave the way for preferred candidates.
The source described the situation as “a coordinated political arrangement designed to consolidate control of the party structure ahead of future elections.”
In parts of the North-West including Kaduna, supporters of dissatisfied aspirants have staged protests and threatened legal action, insisting that the primaries did not reflect the will of party members.
In Kaduna, the emergence of former Governor Ramadan Yero as APC Senate candidate for Kaduna North, 8th Assembly Senator, Shehu Sani for Kaduna Central and serving Senator Sunday Katung for Kaduna South, triggered unrest among party influencers.
A former Kaduna Senator, Danjuma Laah said during a protest in Kaduna, the growing discontent could trigger deeper divisions within the APC in the region, especially as the North-West remains one of the party’s strongest political bases.”
He cautioned that unresolved grievances arising from the primaries may affect party unity and voter confidence if reconciliation efforts are not urgently pursued by the national leadership.
