FLASH POINT

By Shehu Yahaya

The Campaign Council of Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, describing the exercise as flawed and inconsistent with democratic standards.

In a press statement issued on Monday in Kaduna, the council alleged that no primary election was conducted across the seven Local Government Areas of the senatorial district despite party members waiting for hours at designated ward offices.

According to the statement, supporters and party faithful gathered peacefully in anticipation of the exercise scheduled for May 18, 2026, but election materials never arrived at the various venues.

The council further claimed that the purported primary election failed to meet the guidelines stipulated by the APC National Working Committee, alleging that the process lacked transparency and credibility.

“The acclaimed primary election fell short of the standards stipulated by the APC National Working Committee. The process was not transparent and the announcement of results raises serious questions about the integrity of the exercise,” the statement read.

Consequently, the campaign council said it unequivocally rejected the announced result for the Kaduna Central Senatorial primary, insisting that it did not reflect the will of APC members in the zone.

The council called on the APC National Working Committee, the party’s Electoral Committee for Kaduna State, and other relevant organs to investigate the alleged irregularities and provide redress in line with party guidelines and democratic principles.

It also urged supporters of Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding while pursuing constitutional and party mechanisms to challenge the outcome.

The statement reaffirmed the campaign council’s commitment to internal democracy, stressing that it would not allow “the will of the people to be subverted.”

The council, however, expressed appreciation to supporters, stakeholders, and well-wishers for what it described as an overwhelming show of solidarity and loyalty during the process.