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The crisis in the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a dramatic turn with Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, Aspirant for the Zamfara North Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections appealing against the imposition of Senator Sahabi Alhaji Yau as the sole senatorial aspirant in the zone.
In a letter to the Chairman of the APC Senate Primary Election Committee, Dr Shinkafi accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, former Governors, Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani, Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi and the Governor, Dauda Lawal, for teaming up to exclude him from the primaries.
In the letter, Shinkafi urged an immediate intervention against what he described as “impunity, injustice, flagrant disregard for the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended, Electoral Act 2026 and the constitution of our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC).”
He insisted that he did not withdraw from the senatorial race, did not write any letter that he stepped down, and did not make any private or public statements that he withdrew from the primary.
He has therefore directed his supporters in the zone not to participate in the alleged “undemocratic affirmation of anointed senatorial aspirants of Matawalle.”
The letter reads made available to Daily Independent on Thursday, Shinkafi wrote, “On Monday, 18th May 2026, the Minister of Defence for State, Bello Matawalle murdered democracy and shrunk the chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of winning the general election in Zamfara State.
“On different occasions, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stated that the All Progressives Congress 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.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu repeatedly stated, “I am a party constitutional democrat, yes I gave the governors the privilege to coordinate and take charge of the party affairs in their respective states but did not ask anyone to impose candidates indiscriminately.”
“Unfortunately, the exercise was marred with voter intimidation, threat to life, imposition of unpopular candidates, sidelining of screened and cleared aspirants for the National Assembly primaries.
“Also, the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda clearly said that 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.
“Section 84 of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2026 is about nomination of candidates by parties. It provides as follows:
“A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions which shall be monitored by the Commission.
“The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions shall be by direct primaries or consensus.
“Section 85 of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2026 is about Qualifications of aspirants and candidates. It states,
“A political party shall not impose nomination, qualification or disqualification criteria, measures, or conditions on any aspirant or candidate for any election in its constitution, guidelines, or rules for nomination of candidates for elections, except as prescribed under sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177 and 187 of the
Constitution.
“Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 stipulates that all direct primaries shall be conducted in accordance with the guidelines of each political party.
“Section 87 of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2026 is about Consensus Candidates. It provides as follows:
“A political party that adopts a consensus candidate shall secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the position, indicating their voluntary
withdrawal from the race and their endorsement of the consensus candidate.
“Where a political party is unable to secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the purpose of a consensus candidate, it shall revert to the choice of
direct primaries for the nomination of candidates for the elective positions.
“A special convention or congress shall be held to ratify the choice of consensus candidates at the designated centre at the National, State, Senatorial, Federal and State Constituencies.
“To the greatest surprise of most aspirants for senatorial primaries in Zamfara State, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle arrived Gusau International Airport, the state capital with a private jet along with past and serving governors of Zamfara State claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu 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 with 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 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 Senatorial aspirants from participating in the senate primaries in Zamfara State as the chances 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 commission 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 directed all my supporters in Zamfara North Senatorial District not to participate in this undemocratic affirmation of anointed senatorial aspirants of Matawalle.
“It was common knowledge in Zamfara State that political thugs and hoodlums were mobilised to disrupt the senatorial primaries in the state to pave way for the illegal consensus.
“I was never consulted or invited for any meeting on the so-called consensus arrangements.
“I did not withdraw from the senatorial race, did not write any letter that I stepped down, did not make any private or public statements that l withdrew from the primary.
“This injustice shall not stand. I will challenge my exclusion from Zamfara North Senatorial Primary in the Court of Law.”
