From Sani Ibrahim Paki, Abubakar Abdullahi, Lafia, Hassan Ibrahim, Bauchi Few days after the conclusion of primary elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) the party is witnessing mass resignation of members with many defecting to other parties. Many of the members had registered their disagreement with the process of the primaries and how some […]

From Sani Ibrahim Paki, Abubakar Abdullahi, Lafia, Hassan Ibrahim, Bauchi

Few days after the conclusion of primary elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) the party is witnessing mass resignation of members with many defecting to other parties.
Many of the members had registered their disagreement with the process of the primaries and how some of the candidates were chosen.
In many of the states, the governors openly declared their support for particular aspirants leading to protests and rejections. The governors however went ahead to back their choices to win the tickets of the party.
Since the declaration of results, several aspirants and stakeholders have formally resigned from the APC, citing a lack of transparency and violations of internal democracy.
Our correspondents report that in Adamawa the governor’s anointed candidate did not clinch the flag but in states like Borno, Nasarawa, Yobe, it was the governor’s candidates that carried the day.
In Nasarawa, former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu Abubakar tendered his resignation from the APC yesterday and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
His campaign group, The Rtd. IGP Adamu 2027 Movement, said the decision followed consultations with stakeholders, delegates, supporters, and party members across Nasarawa State.
The group said Adamu and his structure will now pursue the 2027 governorship contest under the SDP.
In the statement signed by Isa Nathaniel, the movement attributed the move to the conduct of the APC governorship primary held on May 21, 2026 alleging that the process was compromised and did not reflect the outcome of votes collated at ward and local government levels.
“What happened was not a primary election; it was a coordinated assault on democracy,” the statement said, accusing the APC leadership of abandoning principles of fairness. It added that many supporters felt betrayed and intimidated during the process.
The APC has not issued a public response to the allegations. Official results from the primary showed Adamu polled 39,675 votes, while Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada secured 195,285 votes to emerge as the party’s candidate. Governor Abdullahi Sule had earlier declared support for Wadada.
The movement said the SDP would provide a platform for “liberation, justice, accountability, and people-centered leadership” in Nasarawa State. It stated that Adamu, alongside his supporters, would work to challenge the politics of imposition and seek to reclaim what it described as a stolen mandate through the ballot in 2027.
APC national chairman’s ex-Chief of Staff defects to NDC
In Kano, Mustapha Bala Dawaki, the former Chief of Staff to to the APC national Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, also defected to Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dawaki, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Dawakin Kudu/Warawa constituency from Kano state, defected to the opposition party barely a week after losing his return ticket to consensus in the APC.
Media aide to one of the NDC leaders and Kwankwasiyya Leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Saifullahi Hassan, confirmed the defection on Monday.
He said the defection took place at at the Kano Miller Rose residence of Kwankwaso.
“Leader [Kwankwaso] has today accepted the former Chief of Staff to the APC national Chairman, Mustapha Bala Dawaki (Mai Gidan Ruwa) to the NDC Kwankwasiyya,” Kwankwaso’s aide posted on his verified Facebook page.
The defection is coming at a time the NDC is deciding its candidates for various elective positions.
It is however not clear whether Dawaki will get automatic ticket to contest for the seat in the party.
In Bauchi, the Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, has resigned from the APC and declared his membership of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) days after his withdrawal from APC governorship primary election.
Another serving Senator representing Bauchi North Samaila Kaila Dahuwa also resigned from the APC after losing his return ticket and join the PRP.
Buba, a frontline governorship contender in APC, withdrew from the exercise 24 hours to the party poll, claiming violation of the party’s electoral guidelines and abuse of the country’s constitution.
The senator announced his decision on Sunday, May 24, 2026, citing the “absence of internal democracy, lack of fairness, marginalisation” of genuine party members, and increasing disregard for the opinions and aspirations of grassroots supporters within the APC.” Buba said his decision to join PRP came after extensive consultations with political associates, youths, women groups, party stakeholders, and supporters across Bauchi South Senatorial District and Bauchi State at large.
Buba said, PRP remains a political platform built on the principles of justice, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and people-oriented leadership, with strong commitment to the democratic values enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Senator urged his supporters and political allies to join him in PRP.

Others who left the party include the incumbent member representing the Jama’are/Itas-Gadau federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Rabilu Bala Kashuri, who announced his resignation with immediate effect.

Similarly, the 2023 deputy governorship candidate and former member of the House Representative Hon Shehu Aliyu Musa also resigned from the APC.

Musa who contested the APC ticket for the Bauchi South Senatorial District primaries disclosed his resignation from the party in a letter to the APC Ward chairman citing “lack of purposeful leadership, unfair treatment of party members and lack of cohesion among leaders of the party”

In related development, former majority leader of Bauchi House of Assembly an aspirant for the Katagum Federal Constituency, Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu and another chieftain, Abubakar Dahuwa Abdulkadir, also withdrew his membership from the party.