By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governorship candidate in Zamfara State, Alhaji (Dr.) Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi has warned that only credible and transparent primaries will determine who emerges as the party’s flagbearer for the 2027 general elections.
He insisted that every aspirant, regardless of their political standing, must face the people in a fair popularity test, declaring that the era of godfatherism in the APC is over.
Shinkafi, who also served as Patron of the Tinubu–Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (2023) and leads the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, made this known in a statement he personally signed.
He called on the APC in Zamfara to uphold internal democracy and avoid the mistakes that cost the party dearly in previous elections.
He aligned himself with the resolutions of the APC stakeholders’ meeting chaired by former Governor Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari in Talata Mafara.
The meeting rejected imposition of candidates and endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027.
“All aspirants shall test their popularity at various party primaries notwithstanding their status within the APC family. It is to avoid the blunder the party made in the 2019 and 2023 general elections that led to its defeat in its stronghold, mistakes that should not recur in future elections,” Shinkafi said.
The gathering, which drew party elders, serving and former lawmakers, local government executives, and ex-commissioners, resolved that primaries must be conducted in strict compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, INEC regulations, and APC’s electoral guidelines.
Stakeholders also agreed that the consensus option should only apply if all aspirants voluntarily step down and endorse a single candidate in writing, as required by law.
“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 endorsement of the consensus candidate,” the statement quoted the Act.
Shinkafi urged the party hierarchy to return to the path of due process, the rule of law, and genuine democratic practice, noting that the APC’s internal discipline will determine its fortunes in 2027.
“The APC must adhere strictly to internal democracy, due process, and the rule of law to ensure credible primaries and protect the integrity of its candidates,” he said.
Reflecting on the events that cost the APC Zamfara in 2019, Shinkafi recounted how internal wrangling and the imposition of candidates led to the Supreme Court nullifying the party’s victories, paving the way for the opposition PDP to take over.
He explained that in 2019, the party failed to conduct valid primaries, which caused bitter divisions and legal battles among aspirants, a crisis that ultimately saw the court void all APC elections in the state.
The former governorship candidate also reviewed the 2023 elections, lamenting that a similar disregard for popular will through consensus selection again alienated party members and voters.
“Unpopular and unacceptable candidates emerged to fly APC’s flag and were roundly rejected by the electorate who abhor imposition of candidates,” Shinkafi said.
Although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won comfortably in Zamfara at the presidential level, Shinkafi said the party’s losses in the governorship and legislative polls reflected deep-seated structural and leadership problems that must be fixed urgently.
The APC stakeholders, according to him, agreed to work for unity and reconciliation within the party while discouraging defections and blackmail that weaken its base.
“It is time to work as a political family and build a better, greater, and prosperous Zamfara State future generations will be proud of,” Shinkafi added.
Shinkafi said the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front fully adopted the resolutions of the November 1 meeting, describing them as a blueprint to restore APC’s dominance in Zamfara.
He expressed optimism that if the resolutions are implemented in full, the party will recover its lost glory and approach the 2027 elections from a position of strength.
“If implemented, our great party will bounce back in Zamfara State, ready to win future elections and avoid the imposition of candidates and invalid primaries that led to nullification of elections in Zamfara and other states,” he stated.
Shinkafi’s intervention is seen as part of renewed efforts by reform-minded APC leaders to rebuild trust among party members, promote fairness in candidate selection, and strengthen the party’s hold ahead of 2027.
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