Former lawmaker Shehu Sani has emerged victorious in the APC ward primary election held in Badiko and Kurunmasi Ward of Kaduna South Local Government Area, defeating fellow aspirant Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani.
The primary election, conducted over the weekend under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was described by local party officials as peaceful and orderly.
Speaking after the exercise, the ward councillor said party members turned out in large numbers and queued peacefully to cast their votes.
āAs the councillor of this ward, today we conducted the APC primary election between Sen. Shehu Sani and Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani. People came out massively, the process was peaceful and concluded peacefully as well,ā he said.
According to the councillor, Shehu Sani secured a clear majority of votes in the ward-level contest.
The official also commended voters and party members for maintaining calm throughout the exercise and prayed for continued peace in Kaduna State and Nigeria.
However, the outcome of the primaries has triggered fresh controversy within the party as a coalition of aggrieved aspirants accused the Kaduna APC leadership of imposing candidates.
Operating under the banner of the APC Coalition of Kaduna Senatorial and House of Representatives Frontline Aspirants (CKFA), the group issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the partyās national leadership, demanding the cancellation of the National Assembly primaries.
The coalition, which includes prominent politicians such as former senator Danjuma Laah and activist Yerima Usman Shettima, described the exercise as a āshamā and alleged violations of the APC constitution.
In a protest letter addressed to the party leadership in Abuja, the group argued that the consensus arrangements used in parts of the primaries were unconstitutional because not all cleared aspirants agreed to them.
The coalition further alleged interference by senior government officials and accused some electoral committee members of acting under instructions from top figures within the Kaduna State Government.
Particular attention was directed at the Kaduna Central Senatorial District consensus committee chaired by Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe, which the coalition accused of attempting to impose Shehu Sani as the sole consensus candidate.
The group insisted that several aspirants rejected the arrangement and called on the APC national leadership to immediately intervene to prevent further internal crisis ahead of the 2027 elections.