Former governorship candidate in Zamfara State, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has lamented the conduct of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary elections in the state.
Shinkafi accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of murdering democracy and shrinking the chances of the APC winning the general election in Zamfara.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu had stated that the APC would adhere to democratic principles and rule of law as enshrined in the Electoral Act 2026, particularly on how a political party would nominate candidates for elections.
He also pointed to some instances when the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party would opt for direct primaries where consensus arrangements failed to avoid imposition of candidates that could adversely affect the party in the general election.
Shinkafi added, “To the greatest surprise of most aspirants for senatorial primaries in Zamfara State, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle arrived the state today with a private jet along with past and serving governors of Zamfara State claiming that Mr President had ordered that all aspirants for senate should withdraw for all serving senators for party primaries scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 19th May 2026.
“There was no meeting or consultation for this arbitrary order which contradicted earlier statements made by the President and National Chairman of our great party. This undemocratic order if actually made by Mr President does not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
“I want to state categorically without any apology that the current economic hardship, insecurity in Zamfara State, undemocratic attitude of Bello Matawalle and his co-travelers, l foresee danger in the forthcoming general election.
“This can be averted if by adhering strictly by the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC constitution. Nigeria is governed by the rule of law and not the rule of might.
“Governor Dauda Lawal will be the major loser in this conspiracy to exclude already cleared aspirants from participating in the senate primaries in Zamfara State as the chance of APC winning the elections in the state is minimal . The actions of these self imposed godfathers in Zamfara State is a political suicide.
“In many parts of the country where APC governs, the provisions of the law and internal democracy were not truncated as obtainable in Zamfara State.
“In 2019, APC contested all elective positions in Zamfara State. Because of the inability of the party to amicably resolve its internal crisis caused by imposition of candidates, aggrieved aspirants who were screened and cleared to contest the APC primaries instituted a suit at the Zamfara State High Court challenging the conduct of the party primaries which violated the Electoral Act and APC guidelines for the exercise.
“The party fielded these imposed candidates for the 2019 general election ignoring wise counsel to reconsider its arbitrary and self seeking decision.
“The matter commenced from the Zamfara State High Court to the Court to Appeal, Sokoto Division up to the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division set aside the judgement of the Zamfara State High Court which upheld the purported primaries and declared that there were no valid primaries conducted by the party. The judgement was appealed by the APC at the Supreme Court.
“The apex court delivered judgement on 24th May 2019, and upheld the judgement of the Court of Appeal which had invalidated the APC primaries in Zamfara State as well as the elections conducted by INEC and directed INEC to issue certificates of return to the party that came second in the elections. That was how APC lost all the seats it won in the 2019 general election including the governorship.
“The current imposition of candidates by the APC is political banditry and proves to the nation that Bello Matawalle is a political bandit being the arrow head of this assault on our democracy.
“Accordingly, l have ordered all my supporters in Zamfara North Senatorial District not to participate in this undemocratic affirmation of anointed senatorial aspirants of Matawalle. It is common knowledge in Zamfara State that political thugs and hoodlums have been mobilised to disrupt the senatorial primaries in the state to pave way for the illegal consensus aspirants to be affirmed.
“As a democrat and law abiding citizen, l will not participate in any electoral process that is not in compliance with the provisions of the law. All my supporters should remain calm and stay at home.
“I was never consulted or invited for any meeting on the so-called consensus arrangements. I did not withdraw from the the senatorial race, did not write any letter that I have stepped down, did not make any private or public statements that I have withdrawn from the primary.
“This injustice shall not stand. I will challenge my exclusion from Zamfara North Senatorial Primary in Court. “
