The North-Central APC Forum has declared that over 50% of the party’s members are dissatisfied with the conduct of the State and National Assembly primary elections of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, following their conclusion.
According to reports, the APC primaries have been marked by a series of irregularities, violence, conflicting results, and disqualifications.
Numerous candidates who were excluded from the primaries have challenged their disqualification, and they have threatened legal action if the primary election committees’ decisions are not reversed.
The North-Central APC Forum delivered a situation report on the primaries on Tuesday, stating that the “poor conduct” of the exercise has confirmed its previous warning that the primary election process had been commercialised by party national officials.
The APC Forum, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, posited that the majority of individuals who were disqualified from the contest were those who did not comply with the party’s national officers and their cronies who were chosen to coordinate the exercise in various states.
The Forum has reported that numerous APC members are not only dissatisfied with the primaries but also with the manner in which the national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, is managing the party.
“We have observed that the process is deteriorating every day; they are disqualifying individuals who are supposed to be cleared while clearing those who are supposed to be disqualified, all due to their own selfish interests.”
“That is why we previously cried out that they had commercialised the process.”
“According to our findings, the conduct of the APC primary elections has caused dissatisfaction among 50% of party members nationwide.” The statement stated that they are dissatisfied with the national chairman.
The North-Central APC Forum also made the allegation that the current primary election committees’ selection of members was not based on competence or experience, in contrast to what was previously possible.
The Forum stated that membership was primarily determined by intimate relationships with party officials.
The statement also stated, “Another contributing factor to the substandard conduct of the primaries was the failure of the national officers to dispatch individuals with the necessary expertise and experience to the states to oversee the primaries.”
“We have observed that they dispatched their associates to various states to administer primary elections, despite the fact that they are incapable and inexperienced in such a delicate task.” Members of the primary election committees were chosen solely on the basis of their personal relationships and their willingness to comply with the directives of party national officials.
“If you are an aspirant and you refuse to conform to their demands, they will promptly declare that you have been disqualified once they realise that you are likely to win the primary election.” This is the reason for the confusion surrounding the results of the primaries in numerous senatorial districts and constituencies.
The APC Forum reiterated its demand that the party’s national officers be summoned to order in order to prevent what it deemed to be a detrimental crisis within the party prior to the general elections.
It should be remembered that the North-Central APC Forum had issued a warning approximately 24 hours prior to the commencement of the primaries, alleging that party officials had commercialised the exercise.
The primaries for the House of Representatives were initially scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026. However, Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, announced in a statement issued late on Thursday, May 14, 2026, that the exercise had been rescheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026.