A significant dispute has erupted within the All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State over whether primary elections were properly held in Southern Kaduna. The controversy threatens to deepen internal divisions within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Darlington Wauju, spokesman for the Beke-led group of the APC, insisted in an interview with Channels Television that primary elections were held in all 87 electoral wards of Southern Kaduna. He claimed to have video evidence showing people queuing up, votes being counted, and results being announced at ward offices across the region.
According to Wauju, the party had set up situation rooms for each local government area where elections were held, with volunteer agents monitoring proceedings across all wards. He stated that any claims about elections not holding are baseless and motivated by personal interests rather than genuine democratic concerns.
However, other party members including Michael Auta and the former speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly have disputed these claims, alleging that primaries did not take place in several zones. The conflicting accounts have created a deepening rift within the party structure in Kaduna.
Wauju accused the complainants of attempting to embarrass the state governor and by extension President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by painting a picture of crisis within the Kaduna chapter of the APC. He characterised their actions as an attempt to threaten the party and the president ahead of the 2027 elections.
Separately, concerns were raised about the non-partisan nature of INEC officials, with allegations that a political operative serving as an aide to a sitting minister was involved in activities that undermined the integrity of the electoral process. A criminal investigation was called for into these alleged breaches.
The internal party dispute in Kaduna reflects broader tensions within the APC as the 2027 election cycle approaches. With multiple factions competing for tickets and influence, the credibility of primary elections remains a flashpoint that could determine the party's unity and electoral prospects across Northern Nigeria.