Kaduna APC Aspirants Give Party 48-hour Ultimatum To Cancel Primaries

A coalition of senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the party’s national leadership, demanding the cancellation of the recently concluded National Assembly nomination processes over alleged widespread irregularities.

The group, operating under the Coalition of Kaduna Senatorial/House of Representatives Frontline Aspirants (CKFA), accused the party leadership in the state of replacing transparent primaries with what it described as imposed consensus arrangements, allegedly in violation of the APC constitution.

In a protest letter dated May 17, 2026, and addressed to the APC National Chairman in Abuja, the aspirants described the exercise as a “sham” and called for its immediate nullification, insisting that the credibility of the party ahead of the 2026 general elections was at stake.

The letter was jointly signed by several prominent aspirants, including former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Zailani; former Senator Danjuma Laah; Hon. Yusuf Bala Ikara; Michael Ayuba Auta; Mohammed Mu’azu Makaddas; Bashir Yusuf; Augustine Beguwa; Abdulazeez Abubakar Kaka; Yahaya Idris; and Sani Abdulkadir.

Speaking to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday on behalf of the coalition, Senator Danjuma Laah alleged that the primaries violated Article 20 of the APC Constitution, which stipulates that consensus arrangements are only valid where all cleared aspirants voluntarily agree and sign written consent forms.

According to him, the absence of such consent invalidates the entire process.

He further alleged that no proper primary elections were conducted in several constituencies, effectively disenfranchising party members who were expected to participate in candidate selection.

The coalition maintained that the process lacked internal democratic mechanisms, arguing that the reliance on predetermined arrangements undermined both credibility and fairness.

The group also raised concerns over alleged external interference in the nomination process, claiming that some committees involved in the exercise made references to directives linked to political office holders in the state.

They specifically cited the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, where they alleged attempts were made to impose a sole consensus candidate. According to them, the move was resisted by some aspirants who insisted on a competitive primary election.

The aggrieved aspirants argued that because several contenders did not consent to the consensus arrangement, the process lacked both procedural and legal legitimacy.

“The entire process amounts to a sham. It has not only demoralised aspirants but also poses a serious threat to party unity ahead of the general elections,” the coalition said.

The CKFA is demanding the cancellation of all disputed consensus arrangements across the senatorial districts, as well as the House of Representatives primaries conducted on May 16, 2026, in Kaduna State.

It also urged the APC national leadership to order fresh direct primaries in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines, insisting that only a transparent process can restore confidence among stakeholders and prevent further internal crisis.

As of the time of filing this report, the APC National Working Committee had yet to issue an official response to the allegations.