Kaura wins Zamfara APC senatorial ticket amid violence

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared former senator Tijjani Kaura winner of its rerun primary for Zamfara North Senatorial District, following violence at voting centres and discrepancies in the published results.

Mr Kaura defeated incumbent senator Sahabi Ya’u and former governorship candidate Sani Shinkafi in Monday’s election, held after the Court of Appeal upheld the nullification of the party’s earlier primary.

According to LEADERSHIP, the returning officer, Sani Abdullahi, announced the result in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

He said Mr Kaura polled 16,758 votes, while Mr Ya’u received 1,465 votes and Mr Shinkafi secured 1,447 votes.

The vote figures published after Monday’s primary contain discrepancies, weeks after a court nullified the party’s earlier election over irregularities.

According to LEADERSHIP, Mr Abdullahi said 23,257 voters were registered, 19,608 were accredited, and 19,492 valid votes were recorded.

However, the votes attributed to the three aspirants total 19,670—exceeding the reported valid votes by 178 and the accredited voters by 62.

The newspaper did not explain the discrepancies. PREMIUM TIMES has not obtained the official result sheet to determine whether the figures were announced or reported incorrectly.

Monday’s primary was disrupted by suspected political thugs at two voting centres in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.

DAILY TRUST reported that suspected thugs attacked Namoda Model Primary School and the Galadima Dangaladima Ward polling unit near the Emir’s Palace, forcing voters and residents to flee.

The newspaper said a confrontation involving suspected thugs left one person seriously injured.

At Namoda Model Primary School, the chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Council, Mannir Muhammad Haidara, reportedly escaped an attack during which suspected thugs damaged his vehicle.

A separate DAILY TRUST report also described the attack on the council chairman.

According to BLUEPRINT, trouble began when Mr Haidara urged delegates to support the incumbent senator, Mr Ya’u.

Supporters reportedly backing Mr Kaura objected to the appeal, accusing the council chairman of taking sides in the contest.

Some youths subsequently threw stones and other objects at the chairman before security personnel intervened and escorted him away.

DAILY TRUST also reported that electoral officials had not arrived at some voting locations by 11:30 a.m., although voters had gathered for the exercise.

It remains unclear how many voters were unable to participate because of the disruption.

Separately, reports emerged of a suspected bandit attack on police personnel travelling along the Sokoto–Gusau road to provide security for the primary.

The reported casualties have not been independently established.

The rerun followed the nullification of the APC’s 19 May primary by the Federal High Court in Gusau on 31 August.

The court ordered a fresh primary after a suit filed by Mr Shinkafi challenging the conduct of the earlier exercise.

On 20 October, the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto dismissed Mr Ya’u’s appeal and upheld the lower court’s decision.

According to the report, the appellate court rejected Mr Ya’u’s challenge to the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction and upheld the order for a fresh primary.

Mr Shinkafi had challenged the earlier exercise, alleging irregularities and non-compliance with the party’s guidelines.

Ahead of Monday’s rerun, he raised concerns about preparations for the election.

Speaking in Gusau on Sunday, he complained about inadequate notice to aspirants and security arrangements for the exercise.

He said he had contacted APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda to seek clarification about the preparations.

Mr Shinkafi also said Mr Ya’u had approached the Supreme Court over the appellate court’s judgement and that he had received the notice and records of appeal.

The current status of the Supreme Court proceedings has not been independently established.

The two leading aspirants are associated with different political camps within the Zamfara APC.

Mr Ya’u, who represents Zamfara North in the Senate, is associated with the camp of the Minister of State for Defence and former Zamfara governor, Bello Matawalle.

Mr Kaura is associated with the camp of another former governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, who serves as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

Both aspirants are from Galadima Dangaladima Ward in Kaura Namoda.

Mr Kaura previously represented Zamfara North in the Senate and served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The positions of Mr Ya’u and Mr Shinkafi on Monday’s declared result have not been independently established.