2027: Reps aspirant faults election panel constituted by APC chair

Hassan Dangaladima, a House of Representatives aspirant for the Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, has faulted the election panel constituted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the conduct of a fresh primary election in the constituency.

The panel was constituted by the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, after the Court of Appeal nullified the earlier outcome of the primary election and ordered a fresh exercise to select the party’s candidate for the constituency.

Mr Dangaladima alleged that the APC national chairman was unfair in selecting members of the panel, arguing that he failed to consult other organs of the party before constituting it.

He made the allegations in a petition addressed to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC), urging them to urgently review the composition of the panel.

“The said nomination was made unilaterally by the national chairman: no meeting of the National Working Committee was convened for that purpose; no quorum of the NWC deliberated upon or resolved on the composition of the committee; the nomination was never presented to, ratified or approved by the NWC or the NEC as required by the party’s Constitution; and neither the aspirants nor the Zamfara State Chapter nor other relevant stakeholders were consulted,” he said.

The aspirant further alleged that members of the panel were loyalists and supporters of one of his opponents, Aminu Jaji, arguing that their alleged affiliations could compromise the credibility of the exercise.

“The composition of the committee as announced raises a real and reasonable apprehension of bias: members of the committee are known loyalists, supporters and/or agents of a particular aspirant in the contest, namely Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, thereby placing them in a position of manifest conflict of interest,” he said.

Mr Dangaladima also questioned Mr Jaji’s eligibility to contest the primary, alleging that his name was missing from the APC membership register for Birnin Magaji Ward submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Further and on a related note, the very aspirant the impugned committee is designed to favour, Honourable Aminu Sani Jaji, is not a registered member of the Party: his name is not contained in the Register of Members of the All Progressives Congress for Birnin Magaji Ward submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as confirmed by the Certified True Copy of the said Register obtained from INEC (Exhibit A).

“A formal demand to that effect was made on the Party by letter dated 4th November, 2026 from Trinity Chambers (D.C. Enwelum, SAN), Solicitors in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2026 — Hon. Hassan Umar v. Aminu Sani Jaji & 4 Ors. (Exhibit B). By Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, only members whose names are contained in the register of members shall be eligible to vote and be voted for in party primaries, congresses and conventions; the said aspirant is therefore ineligible to contest the court-ordered primary election.”

The aspirant also argued that the composition of the panel violated the party’s rules because other aspirants were neither consulted nor given an opportunity to raise objections to the selection of its members.

“The membership of the committee was never published in advance; aspirants were afforded no notice of its composition and no opportunity to object to members with conflicts of interest; and no screening or vetting mechanism whatsoever was applied to secure the impartiality and independence of the committee.

“The manner of the committee’s constitution violates the rules of natural justice (audi alteram partem and nemo judex in causa sua), the principle of internal democracy enshrined in the Party’s Constitution, the Party’s guidelines for the conduct of primaries, and the Electoral Act, particularly the requirement of transparent, credible and INEC-monitored primaries,” he said.

Mr Dangaladima consequently urged the APC NEC and NWC to suspend the fresh primary election and reconstitute the panel to ensure a fair and credible exercise.

It is not clear whether the date for the primary election for the constituency has been scheduled or not.

Responding to the allegations, Mr Yilwatda, through his media aide, Abimbola Tooki, denied that the panel was constituted unilaterally, insisting that the selection of its members followed the party’s established decision-making procedures.

Mr Tooki said decisions concerning party affairs were not taken by the national chairman without consultation with the NWC.

“The allegation is completely unfounded and does not reflect the established decision-making process of the All Progressives Congress. The National Working Committee (NWC) has always operated as a collective decision-making body, with members working together, deliberating on issues and taking decisions in the overall interest of the party.

“It is therefore incorrect to suggest that the National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, takes unilateral decisions on matters concerning the activities and administration of the party, particularly on issues as important as the conduct of party primaries.

“The national chairman does not operate in isolation. He works in consultation and collaboration with other members of the NWC, and decisions are taken collectively in accordance with the party’s constitution, established procedures and internal mechanisms,” he said.