A coalition of aggrieved aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State has rejected the party’s House of Representatives and senatorial primary processes, alleging widespread violations of the party’s constitution and nomination guidelines.
Operating under the banner of the Coalition of Kaduna Aggrieved Aspirants for APC Primary Elections to the National Assembly (CKEA), the aspirants accused party leaders of imposing candidates through what they described as “illegal consensus arrangements” without the consent of all cleared contestants.
In a protest letter dated May 17, 2026, and addressed to the APC National Chairman, the group alleged that the primaries conducted for House of Representatives constituencies on May 16 were marred by irregularities, disenfranchisement of party members and total disregard for democratic procedures.
The coalition claimed that party officials failed to conduct proper primary elections and instead forced consensus candidates on aspirants without obtaining the mandatory written consent required under Article 20 of the APC Constitution.
The aggrieved aspirants further alleged that committees set up for the exercise openly claimed they were acting on the instructions of Governor Uba Sani, while accusing the Kaduna State APC executive of “feigning ignorance” as the disputed nomination process unfolded.
According to the group, the crisis was more pronounced in Kaduna Central Senatorial District where a consensus committee reportedly led by the Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, allegedly attempted to impose former senator Shehu Sani as the sole candidate.
The coalition said frontline aspirants, including former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani, and activist Shettima Yerima, rejected the arrangement and insisted on transparent primary elections.
They also alleged that similar complaints of imposition and lack of democratic choice were recorded in Kaduna North and Kaduna South senatorial districts.
The aspirants warned that failure to address the alleged irregularities could trigger legal disputes capable of jeopardising the party’s chances in the general elections.
They therefore called on the APC national leadership to, within 48 hours, cancel the “flawed consensus declarations” and the House of Representatives primaries conducted in the state, and order fresh direct primary elections for all affected constituencies and senatorial districts.
The protest letter was signed by several aspirants, including Yusuf Bala Ikara, Mohammed Mu’azu Makaddas, Yerima Usman Shettima, Yusuf Zailani, Senator Danjuma Laah, Michael Ayuba Auta, Bashir Yusuf, Augustine Beguwa, Abdulazeez Abubakar Kaka, Yahaya Idris and Sani Abdulkadir.
Copies of the petition were also sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), among others.
