Anger At Kaduna APC Primary Leads To Chairman’s Abduction

The All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary in Igabi Federal Constituency of Kaduna State ended in chaos on Saturday after angry party supporters allegedly abducted the local government APC chairman, Bashir Jibrin Jaji, over claims of electoral manipulation.

Trouble reportedly began after party officials declared Hussaini Jalo winner of the primary election against Sani Abdulkadir Dakaci, a development that sparked outrage among supporters who insisted that no proper voting, accreditation, or counting process took place.

Eyewitnesses said angry youths stormed the APC office in Rigachikun shortly after the announcement and confronted the local government chairman over the conduct of the exercise.

A viral video circulating on social media showed the party chairman being dragged and forced into a vehicle by aggrieved youths amid rising tension at the party secretariat.

One of the aggrieved members, Musa Salihu, alleged that supporters present at the venue were never accredited or counted before the result was announced.

“We lined up but nobody counted us. Suddenly, they came out and announced that Jalo had won the election. That is not democracy because no election was conducted,” he said.

Another supporter, Mohammed Abdullahi, said party members gathered at the designated venue as early as 6 a.m. awaiting accreditation and voting.

“What the party told us was to go to the collection centre for the election. Everybody in Kwarau Ward knows our collection centre is at LEA Birnin Yero and that was where people gathered.

“We were shocked to hear that Jalo had already been declared winner. No election took place because nobody informed us that voting would be conducted at the party office,” he added.

However, a supporter of the APC chairman, Haruna Idris, defended the process, insisting that a valid primary election was conducted and that Jalo emerged winner legitimately.

He said the protesting youths attacked the chairman despite efforts by some members to protect him from the mob.

“The youths alleged injustice, but that is not the case. We tried to prevent them from attacking the party chairman, but they overpowered us and assaulted him before taking him away in a vehicle,” he said.