Court Quashes APC Zamfara North Primary, Orders Fresh Election Within 14 Days

By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna   The All Progressives Congress must return to the polls in Zamfara North after a Federal High Cou...

By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna 

The All Progressives Congress must return to the polls in Zamfara North after a Federal High Court in Gusau nullified the party’s May 19, 2026 senatorial primary and mandated a fresh exercise within 14 days.

Justice Hassan Dikko delivered the judgment virtually, granting the pre-election suit filed by APC aspirant Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi. The court held that the primary which produced Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura as the APC candidate for the 2027 election was invalid.

The APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura were named as defendants in the suit.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, plaintiff’s counsel Bello Galadi said the court upheld Dr. Shinkafi’s position that no valid primary was conducted on May 19, 2026.

Galadi said Justice Dikko found proof of overvoting and determined that the APC did not comply substantially with its Constitution, its guidelines for primaries, and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

“Consequently, the court set aside the purported primary and directed the APC to conduct a fresh exercise within 14 days,” Galadi said. He described the judgment as “a victory for democracy and a reaffirmation of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.”

Counsel to the APC and Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Musbahu Salawudeen, also welcomed the judgment. He said the directive gives the party an opportunity to avoid exclusion from the 2027 general elections.

“That is the beauty of the judiciary. My Lord has given another window and opportunity to the APC that they can have a second bite, now that a fresh primary will be conducted within 14 days from today,” Salawudeen stated.

He disclosed that his legal team would examine the judgment carefully before advising Senator Sahabi Ya’u on whether to accept the ruling or appeal it, adding that the final decision rests with his client.

Salawudeen expressed optimism that even if a fresh primary is conducted, Senator Sahabi Ya’u would emerge again as the party’s candidate for Zamfara North.

Reacting as well, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi hailed the judgment as a victory for democracy and the rule of law. He urged the national leadership of the APC to conduct the fresh primary in strict compliance with the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines.

“The decision has reaffirmed the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, particularly for those seeking legal redress when their rights were allegedly violated,” Shinkafi said.

He called on the APC and other political parties to strictly adhere to their constitutions, internal guidelines, and relevant electoral laws when conducting party primaries.

Shinkafi also cautioned political parties against actions capable of undermining democratic processes, and urged aggrieved members to seek legal redress rather than resorting to violence or other unlawful means.