Jigawa ADC Aspirant Rejects Primary, Petitions Appeal Committee

A governorship aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Jigawa State, Bashir Adamu, has rejected the outcome of the party’s primary election, alleging irregularities and undue interference.

Naija News reports that Adamu, a former House of Representatives member who represented Kazaure/Roni/Gwiwa/Yankwashi Federal Constituency, petitioned the State Election Appeal Committee, calling for the nullification of the exercise and the conduct of a fresh primary.

He accused party officials of bias, interference and complicity in acts of thuggery, insisting that the process which produced Senator Sabo Muhammad Nakudu as the party’s governorship candidate was flawed.

The ADC recently held nationwide primary elections to select candidates for various positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In Jigawa State, the exercise was held across the 27 local government areas.

The results were announced two days later by the primary election committee chaired by a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ahmed Zaki.

Announcing the outcome on May 27, the committee said 55,476 valid votes were cast.

According to the results, Adamu polled 19,537 votes, while Nakudu secured 35,939 votes to emerge the party’s governorship candidate.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, Adamu submitted a petition dated June 3, 2026, to the State Election Appeal Committee.

In the petition, the aspirant described the primary as “flawed and undemocratic.”

“The entire primary election process was marred by irregularities, violations of party guidelines and undue interference by party officials,” he stated.

Adamu alleged that the chairman of the primary election committee compromised his neutrality by acting on directives from the party’s State Executive Committee.

“The chairman acted on directives from the State Executive Committee and abandoned the neutrality expected of his office,” he alleged.

He further claimed that the declaration of Nakudu as the winner did not reflect the wishes of party members who participated in the exercise.

“The declaration did not reflect the true will of party members who participated in the exercise,” he stated.

Aspirant Accuses Party Officials

The former lawmaker also accused the State Executive Committee of working to ensure Nakudu’s emergence as the party’s candidate.

“The State Executive Committee was compromised and allegedly directed its efforts towards ensuring the emergence of another aspirant, Sabo Nakudu, as the party’s candidate,” the petition read.

Adamu, who claimed to have built the party’s structures across the 27 local government areas of the state, alleged that state and local government officials entrusted with election materials influenced the outcome of the poll.

He also accused officials responsible for distributing election materials of delaying their delivery, especially in the North-West Senatorial District.

“As a result, the materials reportedly arrived late at night after many party members had waited for hours without accreditation,” he stated.

According to him, many eligible voters became frustrated and left before voting commenced, creating room for alleged manipulation.

Adamu further alleged that political thugs loyal to his opponent took advantage of the delay by snatching election materials and fabricating results.

“Political thugs loyal to my opponent took advantage of the situation by snatching election materials and fabricating results in favour of their preferred candidate,” he alleged.

The aspirant also claimed that violence and intimidation disrupted voting in several parts of the state, forcing electoral officials to cancel the exercise in four local government areas.

He argued that the disruptions rendered the primary inconclusive.

“Such acts of thuggery undermine the democratic process and infringe upon the rights of party members,” he stated.

Adamu also questioned the legitimacy of the results announced by the State Executive Committee, insisting that only the party’s duly constituted primary election committee had the authority to declare the outcome.

He urged the appeal committee to nullify the primary and order a fresh exercise, alleging that the conduct of the poll violated ADC guidelines and provisions of the Electoral Act.

ADC Chairman Appeals For Calm

Responding, the Jigawa State Chairman of the ADC, Muhammad Gumel, appealed for calm among aggrieved members.

He urged Adamu and other dissatisfied stakeholders to remain committed to the party.

Gumel described Adamu as an elder statesman and an influential figure in ADC and Jigawa politics, urging him to accept the result in good faith.

“I am pleading with Hon. Adamu, as an elder and a respected figure in both ADC and Jigawa politics, to exercise patience and see the result as the will of Almighty God,” Gumel said.

He added that disagreements were normal in competitive elections and should not be allowed to divide the party.

“In any contest for a single position, only one person can emerge. Those who do not succeed may naturally have complaints, but as a party we treat all members equally, and we will continue to support whoever emerges through the process,” he said.