.. says process fell short of APC standards as supporters await party’s decision.
What was billed as a decisive day for the All Progressives Congress in Gumel, Gagarawa, Maigatari, and Sule Tankarkar Federal Constituency ended in controversy, with one of the leading aspirants dismissing reports of a successful primary election as misleading.
Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Mohammed Usaini Gumel, an APC aspirant for the House of Representatives seat, said on Saturday that claims of a valid direct primary being conducted across the constituency’s 42 wards did not reflect reality on the ground.
“For clarity and in the interest of truth and justice, it is important to state that portraying the exercise as having been duly conducted across the constituency in line with the accepted standards, guidelines, and democratic principles governing direct primary elections under our great party would be a misleading representation of the actual situation,” Gumel said in a statement issued hours after voting was supposed to have taken place.
The retired police chief, who served as DIG in charge of Force Intelligence, said the process had already drawn widespread condemnation from party members and stakeholders. He described it as falling short of the transparency, inclusiveness, and procedural credibility expected of a genuine direct primary.
While the exact nature of the irregularities was not detailed in the statement, Gumel noted that the issues were “well known to party members and the general public” in the constituency.
Despite the dispute, Gumel struck a conciliatory tone, urging his supporters across the four local government areas to remain calm and law-abiding.
“I therefore urge all our teeming supporters across Gumel, Gagarawa, Maigatari, and Sule Tankarkar to remain calm, peaceful, law-abiding, and highly responsible,” he said. “No one should take the law into his hands or allow emotions to generate tension capable of undermining the peace and stability of our constituency.”
He reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC, stressing that loyalty to the party must be matched with commitment to fairness, due process, and the protection of internal democratic mechanisms.
Gumel said a detailed report of his observations would be submitted to the National Assembly Primary Election Committee and other relevant party organs for review.
“We remain confident that the leadership of the party and relevant authorities will act with wisdom, fairness, and in the overall interest of justice, party unity, and democratic credibility,” he added.
The aspirant said he remained optimistic that fairness would prevail, and called on all stakeholders to keep the peace and stability of the constituency, Jigawa State, and Nigeria as their priority.
“Our collective priority must continue to be the peace, progress, and political stability of our constituency, Jigawa State, and Nigeria at large,” he said, ending the statement with a prayer: “May Allah continue to guide us all.”
The Gumel/Gagarawa/Maigatari/Sule Tankarkar seat is one of Jigawa’s key federal constituencies, and the APC primary is expected to be a major determinant of who holds the seat in 2027. With 42 wards involved, any dispute over the process could have implications for party unity ahead of the general elections.
The APC leadership in Jigawa and at the national level is yet to issue an official position on the conduct of the primary.
For now, Gumel’s supporters say they are waiting for the party to act, while maintaining the calm he requested.