Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi Challenges Zamfara North APC Senatorial Primary Results

Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, an aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket in Zamfara North, has officially rejected the outcome of the party’s primary election held on November 2, 2026. In a press briefing held in Gusau, Shinkafi alleged that the process was marred by significant irregularities and violations of both party guidelines and the Electoral Act 2026.

Allegations of Procedural Malpractice

Shinkafi’s grievances center on the conduct of the election across the Birnin-Magaji, Shinkafi, Kaura Namoda, and Zurmi Local Government Areas. According to the aspirant, the exercise lacked transparency from the outset. He reported that official voting materials, including party registers and authentic result sheets, were absent from designated polling locations. Instead, he alleged that photocopied result sheets were introduced at unauthorized venues after party members had already left.

Furthermore, Shinkafi claimed that the fundamental requirement of accreditation was ignored. He stated that no biometric verification or membership card checks were performed, effectively disenfranchising thousands of registered party members. These procedural failures, he argued, were compounded by unannounced changes to voting venues and a lack of clear communication, which created widespread confusion among the electorate.

Security Concerns and Unauthorized Officials

Beyond administrative failures, Shinkafi raised serious concerns regarding the security environment during the primary. He alleged that armed actors and irregular security personnel hijacked voting and collation centers. According to his account, these individuals intimidated party agents and used gunfire to disperse his supporters, preventing a peaceful and orderly voting process.

Shinkafi also challenged the legitimacy of the officials overseeing the count. He claimed that the results were declared by individuals who were neither appointed nor recognized by the APC National Working Committee (NWC). He further alleged that collation occurred at undisclosed locations without the presence of his accredited agents, violating standard party protocols regarding the distribution of results to candidate representatives.

Conflicting Declarations and Demands for Nullification

A significant point of contention raised by Shinkafi is the emergence of two separate declarations of victory. Reports indicate that the committee chairman declared Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u Kaura the winner, while another committee member simultaneously declared Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura as the victor. Shinkafi firmly denied that any consensus arrangement had been reached between himself and the other aspirants.

In light of these developments, Shinkafi has issued the following demands to the APC leadership:

• Immediate nullification of the November 2 primary election.
• A directive to the party to refrain from submitting any name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate for the district.
• The conduct of a fresh, transparent direct primary election overseen by a duly authorized committee and monitored by INEC.
• Disciplinary action against officials found to have compromised the integrity of the exercise.

Shinkafi stated that he intends to pursue these grievances through the party’s National Election Appeals Committee. He also signaled his readiness to seek legal redress against Senators Sahabi Ya’u Kaura and Tijjani Yahaya Kaura should his administrative demands remain unaddressed. As of this reporting, the APC national leadership has not issued a formal response to these allegations.

Note: The specific details regarding the internal party investigation or the official position of the accused senators remain unavailable at this time.

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p class=”vbna-source-note”>Source: Channels Television

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