COURT CANCELS ZAMFARA APC SENATORIAL PRIMARY, ORDERS FRESH POLL IN 14 DAYS
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has been ordered to conduct a fresh senatorial primary in Zamfara North within 14 days after a Federal High Court in Gusau nullified the party’s earlier exercise.
The court set aside the May 19, 2026 primary which produced Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura as the APC candidate for the 2027 Zamfara North Senatorial District election.
This followed a pre-election suit filed by another APC aspirant, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who challenged the validity of the primary.
Justice Hassan Dikko, who delivered the judgment virtually, reportedly found evidence of overvoting and non-compliance with the APC Constitution, the party’s guidelines and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
Speaking after the judgment, counsel to Shinkafi, Bello Galadi, described the ruling as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
He said the judgment had reaffirmed the judiciary as the last hope of citizens seeking redress when their rights are allegedly violated.
But counsel to the APC and Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Musbahu Salawudeen, said the party would study the judgment before deciding on its next legal step.
Salawudeen welcomed the fresh-primary order, describing it as an opportunity for the APC to correct the process and avoid being shut out of the 2027 election.
He said the court had given the party “a second bite” by ordering another primary within 14 days.
Salawudeen, however, expressed confidence that Senator Sahabi Ya’u could emerge as the APC candidate again if the fresh primary is conducted.
For the plaintiff, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, the ruling is a victory for democracy.
He has urged the APC leadership to ensure that the fresh primary is conducted transparently and in strict compliance with the Electoral Act and the party’s rules.
Shinkafi also called on political parties to respect internal democracy and advised aggrieved members to seek legal redress rather than resorting to violence.
The ball is now in the APC’s court as the party races against the 14-day deadline to conduct a fresh primary and settle its Zamfara North senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
