From Tongnaan Bawa, Jos
A political pressure group, the Like Minds Progressive Forum, has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to review the outcome of the party’s primary election for the Jos North-North State Constituency, alleging irregularities in the nomination process.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Jos, the group’s Chairman, Rotshak Augustine, described the emergence of the party’s flag bearer as inconsistent with democratic principles, alleging favouritism, imposition, manipulation and a lack of transparency in the exercise.
The group said the results of the primary election, signed by the Chairman of the House of Assembly Primary Election Committee, Kaban Yohanna, showed that Hon. Adamu Aliyu polled 13,066 votes to emerge first, followed by Hon. Harry Ishaya with 1,904 votes, Shehu Bala Usman with 239 votes, and Abdulkaddir Hassan with 182 votes.
According to the forum, Hon. Adamu Aliyu was not cleared by the party and was therefore disqualified from contesting the primary.
It argued that under such circumstances, Hon. Harry Ishaya, who came second and was duly cleared by the party, ought to have been declared the party’s candidate for the constituency.
The group, however, alleged that the APC leadership instead issued the party’s nomination and flag bearer status to Abdulkaddir Hassan, who placed fourth in the primary election. It described the decision as a violation of the party’s constitution and an action capable of undermining confidence in the party’s internal democratic process.
Citing Section 85 of the Electoral Act 2026, the forum maintained that political parties should not impose nomination, qualification or disqualification criteria outside the provisions of the law. It appealed to the APC’s national leadership and other stakeholders to review the decision in the interest of justice, peace and unity.
The forum further urged the party to recognise Hon. Harry Ishaya as the rightful candidate for the Jos North-North State Constituency, insisting that he had remained a loyal member of the APC and contributed significantly to the party’s growth in Naraguta B Ward, Jos North Local Government Area and Plateau State.
The group warned that while it remained committed to the APC, it would pursue all lawful means to challenge what it described as an injustice, stressing that its objective was to protect the party’s integrity rather than undermine it.