Crisis may be brewing within the Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress following allegations by a governorship aspirant, Dr Salihu Bakari Girei, that his name was unlawfully omitted from the party’s governorship primary election.
Bakari, in a statement issued on Friday in Yola, accused the party’s primary election committee of excluding his name from the list of cleared aspirants for the governorship primary conducted on May 21, 2026.
The aspirant said he duly purchased the APC governorship nomination form and participated in the party’s screening exercise before the primary election.
According to him, he was shocked to discover that his name was completely missing from the final list released by the committee, despite receiving no notice of disqualification or adverse report from the screening panel.
Bakari noted that while some aspirants who failed to meet the screening requirements were clearly marked “Not Cleared,” his case was different as his name was allegedly omitted entirely without explanation.
He described the development as a violation of fairness, transparency, and internal democratic principles within the party.
“My name was unjustifiably removed. I will not accept it. There must be a fresh primary election to actualise my governorship ambition,” he said.
The APC aspirant further argued that the action amounted to a breach of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act, as well as the party’s guidelines and regulations issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Bakari disclosed that he had formally petitioned the National Chairman of the APC through the party’s appeal committee in Adamawa State, demanding a review of the process.
Among his demands are the restoration of his name to the list of cleared aspirants and the conduct of a fresh governorship primary to allow him participate fully in the exercise.
Despite his grievances, the aspirant reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC and expressed confidence in the leadership of the party to address the matter in line with due process and justice.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Adamawa State chapter of the APC nor the party’s national secretariat had reacted to the allegations.
The controversy comes amid heightened political activities within major parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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