Niger APC primary crisis pits Bago against ex-Gov Bello
The outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections, coupled with lingering grievances among stakeholders, has worsened the party’s internal crisis in Niger State. The alleged imposition of candidates by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago during the just-concluded APC primaries has reportedly deepened internal discontent within the party and triggered […]
The outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections, coupled with lingering grievances among stakeholders, has worsened the party’s internal crisis in Niger State.
The alleged imposition of candidates by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago during the just-concluded APC primaries has reportedly deepened internal discontent within the party and triggered the exit of several aggrieved members.
Insiders told Daily Trust that many party faithful who felt sidelined by the process have abandoned the APC, arguing that the primaries failed to reflect the principles of fairness, consultation, and internal democracy.
The grievances has manifested in the formation of the Niger Rescue Movement (NRM) by key party stakeholders, most of whom are loyal to former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.
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The movement, led by the former Chief of Staff to the immediate past governor of the state, Mikail Bmitosahi, called on voters to support the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate instead of re-electing the incumbent Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.
Unveiling the movement on Thursday, Bmitosahi announced that the NRM Political Family had officially joined the ADC.
He described the move as the beginning of a political campaign aimed at providing what he called an alternative to the administration of Governor Bago.
Bmitosahi said the decision followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders, elders, youths, women, and supporters across the 25 local government areas of the state.
According to him, the NRM Political Family chose the ADC because it provides a credible platform founded on internal democracy, inclusiveness, and people-oriented leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.
He accused the current administration of failing to adequately address the challenges confronting the people of Niger State, saying the movement would campaign on issues including security, job creation, quality education, healthcare, potable water, and road infrastructure.
Bmitosahi announced that the NRM Political Family would immediately commence the mobilisation of its political structures across all 25 local government areas in support of the ADC, with plans to take its campaign to every ward, village, and polling unit in the state.
The development is expected to further reshape the political landscape in Niger State as political parties and emerging political groups intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Among the members of the movement are former Commissioners for Water Resources and Finance , Yusuf Suleiman and Usman Tinau as well as former Commissioner for Works, Mamman Musa, whose wife, Hadiza Idris Kuta, is the serving Commissioner for Women Affairs. Kuta was a commissioner for Transport in the Bago administration before she was moved to the Ministry of Women Affairs.
Governor Bago while speaking at the palace of the Emir of Kagara during a sympathy visit to the traditional ruler and victims of a recent herders-farmers clash, specifically alleged that loyalists of former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello were seeking to undermine his administration.
“I do pray to Allah not to allow me to carry out vengeance against anyone who has wronged me. The people who were part of the immediate past administration of Abubakar Sani Bello, including his commissioners and loyalists, are the ones fighting my government. Their boys don’t want us to have peace. And the same way former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu probed his predecessor, Engineer Abdulkadir Kure, and Abubakar Sani Bello also probed Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, if I like, I will probe him (Abubakar Sani Bello) too. But I chose the path of peace.”
Crisis from the primaries
The APC primaries were trailed by grievances that led to defections and further widened divisions within the party.
In recent times, many former councillors from Bida, Lavun and Mokwa as well as some aspirants in the primaries announced their defections from the All Progressives Congress.
In a recent interview with Prestige FM, one of the senatorial aspirants, Senator Mohammed Bima, said they had submitted a petition to the national leadership of the APC and warned that if their grievances were not addressed, they would take whatever action they deemed necessary.
Bima alleged that no primary election was held in the Niger South Senatorial District and questioned how Sani Idris Kutigi emerged as the winner.
Shortly after the results and consensus candidates were unveiled, one of the contestants, Shehu Samaila Auna, House of Representatives aspirant for Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency, rejected the emergence of Professor Yakubu Auna as the consensus candidate.
Auna later approached the Minna Division of the Federal High Court challenging the outcome of the primaries.
In a statement shortly after the primaries which he personally signed, Samaila Auna alleged that the meeting convened by the governor for the consensus agreement ended in deadlock and wondered how his fellow aspirant emerged as the flag bearer.
“The Constitution of the All Progressives Congress is explicit regarding the emergence of candidates: a candidate can only emerge through a voluntary consensus or a democratic primary election.
He was later dismissed from the APC for taking the matter to court and the two-day meeting with the governor was deadlocked with no agreement reached.
Bago accuses Abuja of tampering with list of candidates
Ironically, as members of the APC accuse the Governor of imposing candidates, it turned out that he is not also happy that the list sent to Abuja as candidates of the party had also been tampered with.
He lamented that what was declared at the national headquarters of the party is different from the earlier list of successful candidates sent from Minna.
The development, party stakeholders say, gives the impression of manipulation from above.
Gov Bago however met with critical APC stakeholders from the 25 local government areas over the lingering internal grievances arising from the primary elections.
At the meeting which was held on Saturday at the Hauwa Wali Multipurpose Hall, Government House, Minna, Bago urged stakeholders to reach out to the grassroots and their respective constituencies to ensure the party’s success at all levels in the 2027 general elections.
The governor, who described the actions of some APC members in the state as unacceptable, said that as beneficiaries of the ruling party, no one should be seen trying to sabotage its success.
While admitting that party primaries often come with post-primary crises, Bago said efforts were being made to reconcile with aggrieved members and that the party’s reconciliation efforts were already yielding results.
In his contribution, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, said the meeting was aimed at sanitising the APC in the state and promoting its growth.
Those in attendance included the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa; former Senator David Umaru; Minister of State for Agriculture, Abdullahi Sabi; former Deputy Governors of Niger State, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso and Ahmed Musa Ibeto; National Vice Chairman of the APC, North Central, Mu’azu Bawa Rijau; and the State APC Chairman, Aminu Musa Bobi.
The governor had earlier met with aspirants who contested and lost the APC primary elections for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly seats.
The meetings are part of efforts to address the grievances arising from the primaries and prevent the crisis from further weakening the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.