Key Takeaways
- Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State protested alleged candidate imposition in a House of Representatives primary.
- The protest specifically targeted the primary election for the Pankshin, Kanke, and Kanam (PKK) Federal Constituency.
- Protesters submitted a petition alleging significant irregularities in the collation and declaration of results.
- The petition claims that national secretariat officials disregarded officially designated collation officers.
- They are demanding a thorough review, investigation, and the protection of genuine votes cast by party members.
- The incumbent lawmaker, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, is the candidate whose emergence is being disputed.
JOS, PLATEAU STATE – The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State is currently grappling with internal dissent following a peaceful protest staged by a faction of its members. These aggrieved party faithful, primarily youths from the Pankshin, Kanke, and Kanam (PKK) Federal Constituency, converged at the party’s state secretariat in Jos to voice their strong opposition to what they describe as the imposition of a candidate in the recent House of Representatives primary election.
The demonstrators, vibrant and resolute, marched with purpose, brandishing placards that conveyed their unequivocal demands. Inscriptions such as “Protect Internal Democracy,” “Our Votes Must Count,” “Respect Party Structures,” “Justice for PKK Constituency,” and “APC Must Uphold Fairness” resonated with their collective call for transparency and adherence to democratic principles within the party. Their actions underscored a deep-seated concern for the integrity of the electoral process that underpins the party’s foundation.
Allegations of Irregularities and Disregard for Due Process
At the heart of the protest was a formal petition submitted to the party leadership. This comprehensive document meticulously challenged the outcome of the primary election, which ultimately produced the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, as the APC’s flag-bearer for the 2027 House of Representatives election. The petition, signed by Hon. John Tongshinen Gozhak on behalf of numerous concerned party members and stakeholders, detailed serious allegations of irregularities in the collation and subsequent declaration of results.
Addressing party officials during the demonstration, the protesters articulated their unwavering pursuit of justice and transparency. They emphasized the critical need to safeguard the integrity of the APC’s internal democratic processes, arguing that any perceived compromise could erode members' confidence and loyalty. The petitioners highlighted a particularly contentious point: the alleged interference by officials from the party’s national secretariat.
According to the petition, the Plateau APC leadership had initially communicated the names of officially designated collation officers to all aspirants well in advance of the primary election. These officers were tasked with the crucial responsibility of collating results from various voting centers across the constituency. However, a startling turn of events allegedly saw these designated officers sidelined.
“It came as a profound surprise to party members and stakeholders when reports emerged that certain officials or agents deployed from the National Secretariat rejected, displaced or otherwise disregarded the authority of the very officers whose names had earlier been officially communicated by the Plateau State Secretariat,” the petition explicitly stated. This alleged intervention, the aggrieved members argued, cast a long shadow of doubt over the credibility of the entire primary election and the authenticity of the results that declared Gagdi as the party’s candidate.
Undermining Confidence and Call for Review
The petitioners further elaborated on the profound implications of such actions. They contended that if duly appointed officers, whose names were officially communicated by the state secretariat, could successfully conduct their assignments, collate results, and submit them, only for their work to be subsequently disregarded or displaced, then the confidence of party members in the integrity of internal democratic processes would be inevitably undermined. This sentiment reflects a broader concern about the sanctity of votes and the fairness of intra-party contests.
In their plea, the protesters called for an immediate and thorough review of the primary election. They demanded a comprehensive investigation into the alleged replacement of collation officers and urged the party to implement stringent measures to ensure that the genuine votes cast by party members are protected and accurately reflected in the final results. Hon. Gozhak reiterated their commitment to peaceful engagement, stating, “We have therefore chosen the path of peace, dialogue, and lawful engagement. Our peaceful protest and presentation of this petition should be understood as an appeal for justice within the party and not as an act of hostility against the APC.”
The petitioners also implored the Plateau APC leadership to uphold the authority of established party structures and to take decisive steps to restore members’ confidence in the party’s internal democratic process. As of the time of this report, neither Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi nor the Plateau State chapter of the APC has issued an official response to the serious allegations contained within the petition, leaving the matter in a state of anticipation.
Why This Matters
This protest highlights critical challenges to internal party democracy and transparency, which are fundamental to a healthy political system. The allegations of candidate imposition and electoral irregularities, if left unaddressed, could significantly erode public trust in the APC and potentially impact its electoral fortunes in the upcoming 2027 general elections, particularly in the affected constituency.