Supporters destroy APC secretariat in Niger over consensus candidates for LGA elections

Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State have vandalised the party’s secretariat in protest against the alleged imposition of candidates for the November 1 local government elections. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago recently announced that the ruling APC would adopt a consensus approach to select its flag bearers […]

Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State have vandalised the party’s secretariat in protest against the alleged imposition of candidates for the November 1 local government elections.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago recently announced that the ruling APC would adopt a consensus approach to select its flag bearers for the upcoming council elections. Speaking at an iftar gathering with party stakeholders, Bago said the consensus method was necessary to meet the election timetable.

Under the arrangement, each of the state’s 25 LGAs was expected to nominate three candidates for the chairmanship position, with the governor making the final selection.

However, the selection process has been widely criticised for lacking transparency, with allegations of bribery and candidate imposition by party power brokers.

Violence erupts in Agwara LGA

Tension escalated in Agwara LGA on Tuesday when a peaceful protest turned violent, leading to the destruction of the APC secretariat.

In a video obtained by Daily Trust, angry supporters were seen chanting, “We are not doing!” before pulling down the APC and Nigerian flags and vandalising the party office.

A resident of Agwara, Mallam Abdulmalik Yunusa, told Daily Trust that the council chairman, Iliyasu Zakari, who is seeking re-election, narrowly escaped as party members insisted he should not receive a second-term ticket.

Speaking during the selection in Rijau, the APC organising secretary in Niger State, Muka Faisal, said Governor Bago has the authority to select a chairmanship candidate outside the list of nominees presented through the consensus process.

This development has fuelled discontent within the party, as political parties in Niger State race against time to conclude their primary elections, which must be completed between 15 and 24 March in line with the electoral timetable.

Earlier on Monday, a group of Concerned Shiroro Youths from Shiroro LGA held a press conference in Minna, urging Governor Bago to abandon the consensus plan or risk mass defections from the APC.

Yakubu Kuta, a former vice-chairman of Shiroro LGA and a member of the consensus selection committee, alleged that the process in Shiroro was hijacked by Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba, who is also a member of the critical stakeholders’ committee in the local government.

According to Kuta, after the committee selected three nominees for the governor’s approval, the deputy governor disregarded the list and imposed his own aide as the preferred candidate, using soldiers to intimidate the selection committee and party members in Kuta, the LGA headquarters.

When contacted, Ummulkhatumi Abdullahi Kuta, the press secretary to the deputy governor, denied the allegations.

She said the selected candidate, Zaharadeen Babangida Kudodo, emerged through a vote by 17 out of the 27 consensus committee members.

She also dismissed claims that the deputy governor deployed military personnel to harass committee members during the selection process.