APC Primaries: Obasa, Buhari’s Son, Abbas, Kalu Win Reps Tickets as Violence, Protests Rock Exercises in Several States

APC Primaries: Obasa, Buhari’s Son, Abbas, Kalu Win Reps Tickets as Violence, Protests Rock Exercises in Several States.

Prominent political figures, including the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and Yusuf Buhari, emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primaries conducted nationwide on Saturday ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The primaries, held across the country’s 360 federal constituencies, produced several high-profile winners, but were also marred by allegations of irregularities, protests, violence, and claims of candidate imposition in some states.

The APC had, ahead of the exercise, disqualified 14 aspirants from contesting the primaries across Ondo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Kogi, and Rivers states.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, explaining that the affected aspirants failed to scale the screening exercise conducted by the party’s screening committees.

Among those disqualified were four serving members of the House of Representatives — Iduma Igariwey from Ebonyi State, Anderson Allison, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, and Boma Goodhead from Rivers State.

Others barred from participating in the primaries include Adefisoye Tajudeen, Olusegun Ategbole, Seun Ajongbolo, Arowole Ayodeji, Morufu Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi, Olaleye Adedipe, Bashir Bello, Sanni Ogembe, and retired Air Commodore John Opara.

Although Morka insisted the exercise was conducted in line with the party’s guidelines and constitutional provisions, he did not disclose the specific reasons behind the disqualifications.

Yusuf Buhari Secures Katsina Ticket

In Katsina State, Yusuf Buhari recorded a landslide victory in the APC primary for Sandamu/Daura/Mai’adua Federal Constituency.

The son of former President Muhammadu Buhari polled 5,849 votes to overwhelmingly defeat his closest rival, Auwal Daura, who secured only 21 votes.

Supporters and party loyalists in the constituency described the result as evidence of the Buhari family’s continued political dominance and influence within Katsina State politics and the APC structure.

Party members who spoke after the exercise said Yusuf Buhari’s emergence was largely expected because of the strong support base associated with the Buhari political dynasty in Daura and surrounding communities.

Obasa Clinches Agege Ticket Unopposed

In Lagos State, Mudashiru Obasa emerged as the APC candidate for the Agege Federal Constituency seat after winning the primary unopposed.

The primary election was held at Ward E, Oyewole Primary School in Agege, where party delegates and loyalists endorsed the Lagos Assembly Speaker as the sole candidate.

Speaking shortly after the exercise, Obasa expressed gratitude to party leaders, delegates, and supporters for their confidence in him.

“This is another opportunity given to me by my constituents to represent them at the Federal House of Representatives, and I assure them of effective and quality representation,” he stated.

Obasa’s victory further strengthens his political influence within Lagos APC politics as discussions intensify over the alignment of political structures ahead of the 2027 elections.

Abbas, Kalu Retain Grip on Constituencies

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, also secured the APC ticket to contest for a fifth consecutive term representing Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State.

Abbas emerged through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 wards within the constituency after standing as the sole cleared aspirant.

The Returning Officer, Hamisu Kubau, announced that 1,376 delegates affirmed Abbas as the party’s candidate.

“There is only one aspirant who bought the nomination form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas,” Kubau declared.

In his remarks, Abbas thanked party members for their continued trust and pledged to deliver more dividends of democracy.

“My best days as your representative are still ahead,” the Speaker said.

Similarly, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, secured another APC ticket to contest for Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State.

Kalu emerged unopposed during the exercise conducted across the constituency’s 13 electoral wards.

Party delegates, ward executives, and stakeholders unanimously endorsed him for another term, citing his legislative performance and contributions to constituency development.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Udora Orizu, Kalu promised to continue promoting inclusive governance and people-oriented legislation if re-elected.

Sadiq Abdullahi, Elumelu, Rotimi Record Victories

In Kaduna State, Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, son of elder statesman Ango Abdullahi, emerged victorious after polling 920 votes in his constituency’s contest.

Meanwhile, in Delta State, former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, defeated incumbent lawmaker Ngozi Okolie in the APC primary for Oshimili South Federal Constituency.

Party officials described the exercise in Asaba as peaceful and orderly.

Results announced at various collation centres showed Elumelu dominating several wards, including Ward 11 where Okolie reportedly failed to secure a single vote.

Returning Officer Kingsley Oniawa described the process as transparent and credible.

“There was no crisis. The process was peaceful and calm,” he stated.

In Ekiti State, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Akintunde Rotimi, defeated eight aspirants to emerge winner of the APC primary for Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency.

APC Primaries Turn Violent in Kaduna

Despite victories recorded by several party heavyweights, the APC primaries witnessed violent confrontations and protests in parts of Kaduna and Adamawa states.

In Igabi Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, angry youths stormed the APC secretariat over allegations of manipulation and irregularities during the contest between Sani Dakaci and Hussaini Jalo.

Witnesses said the situation escalated after Jalo was declared winner despite claims that proper accreditation and vote counting never took place.

A viral video circulating online showed APC officials hurriedly escorting the local government party chairman, Bashir Jaji, into a waiting vehicle as furious protesters invaded the premises.

One of the protesters, Musa Salihu, alleged that party members queued for accreditation but were never counted before results were announced.

“We stood in line for hours, but nobody counted us. Suddenly, they declared a winner. That is not democracy,” he lamented.

Another aggrieved member, Musbahu Idris, accused party leaders of manipulating the process behind closed doors.

However, supporters of the declared winner dismissed the allegations and insisted that the exercise was conducted fairly.

Adamawa Protesters Reject Results

In Adamawa State, protests erupted across Lamurde, Numan, and Demsa Federal Constituency as party supporters accused APC leaders of announcing results without conducting actual elections.

Women and youths reportedly blocked roads while chanting anti-party slogans and accusing leaders of imposing preferred candidates.

One of the aspirants, Vrati Nzonzo, claimed no primary election took place in the affected constituencies.

“As I speak, protests are ongoing because no election happened. People simply came and started writing results,” he alleged.

Nzonzo further claimed that police arrested an aide to a serving lawmaker allegedly found with result sheets.

Another aspirant from Guyuk/Shelleng Federal Constituency, Haruna Daniel, accused the committee of arriving from Abuja with a predetermined candidate.

“The committee came with a preferred candidate and announced her as winner without conducting any election,” he alleged.

Former APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Umar Duhu, admitted that there were flaws in the process but urged aggrieved members to accept party supremacy and remain loyal to the APC.

Election Materials Hijacked in Benue

In Benue State, logistical challenges and allegations of hijacked election materials disrupted the exercise in several federal constituencies, including Makurdi/Guma and Gwer East/Gwer West.

Daniel Ihomun, publicity secretary of one APC faction in the state, confirmed that election materials were hijacked in parts of Makurdi Local Government Area.

He also disclosed that delayed arrival of materials affected the smooth conduct of the primaries in several remote areas.

Mixed Results in Kwara APC Contest

Kwara State witnessed some of the most dramatic outcomes of the APC primaries.

Former Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, defeated incumbent lawmaker Tijani Ismail Kayode in the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency contest.

The biggest upset reportedly came from Erin-Ile South Ward — the lawmaker’s home ward — where Ajakaye polled 707 votes while Kayode failed to secure a single vote.

In Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency, the state Commissioner for Works, Abdulquawiy Olododo, emerged as consensus candidate after four aspirants stepped down for him.

Meanwhile, Abubakar Bello Tauheed, popularly known as “Car Wash,” secured a commanding lead in Tsaragi Ward 2 during the Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency contest.

However, one of the aspirants, Amasa Funmilayo Salamat, petitioned the APC National Working Committee over alleged manipulation of party membership cards.

She claimed that withholding membership cards from genuine members gave party leaders the opportunity to control participation in the voting process.

“This created room for manipulation because some leaders decided who participated and who did not,” she alleged.

APC Insists Primaries Were Credible

In Sokoto State, the APC adopted consensus affirmation for 10 out of the 11 federal constituencies, while in Oyo State, party officials cleared 74 aspirants across 14 constituencies for the exercise.

Chairman of the National Assembly Primary Election Committee in Oyo, Prof. Mojeed Alabi, described the exercise as peaceful and transparent.

Despite widespread complaints and controversies in some states, APC leaders maintained that the primaries demonstrated the party’s commitment to internal democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, political observers warned that unresolved grievances arising from the exercises could deepen internal divisions and spark prolonged political crises within the ruling party if not urgently addressed by the national leadership.