2027: Ex-IGP Alleges Plot To Pressure Ward Executives To Endorse Gov. Sule’s Preferred Aspirant

A former Inspector General of Police and a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, has accused his party leadership in the state of plotting to subvert the forthcoming primaries through ward executives.

Speaking through the Chairman of Counter and Mobilisation of his campaign team, Mr. Isah Nathaniel, on Monday in Lafia, he specifically accused the party leadership of an alleged “coordinated scheme to pressure ward executives across the 147 wards of the state into endorsing a governor-preferred aspirant” ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Let it be clear: this is not party organization; this is political manipulation in its crudest form. What is being disguised as coordination is, in truth, a brazen attempt to hijack the will of party members and impose a predetermined outcome,” he declared.

The allegation came a few hours after the State Chairman of the party, Dr. Aliyu Bello, promised that the leadership would provide a level playing field for all aspirants during the primaries.

The ex-IGP warned that the move to use ward executives for a clandestine motive could throw the party into chaos and undermine its fortunes ahead of the 2027 elections, especially as stakeholders have agreed to adopt direct primaries for all elective positions.

He, therefore, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate notice of the development and act decisively to protect the integrity of the party in the state.

He also called for urgent intervention from the party’s National Working Committee to halt this “unfolding illegality and restore constitutional order.”

“We also put the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies on alert: any attempt to impose outcomes through coercion is a direct threat to public peace and must not be ignored,” he noted.

However, the party said it would ensure a free and fair process during the primaries.

Its chairman, Dr. Bello, said it is not working to undermine anyone, even as he noted that Governor Sule has the right to endorse an aspirant of his choice. Bello explained that the governor’s choice of aspirant cannot stop others from vying for the position.