ADC Primaries Erupt Into Protests In Kano, Benue, Adamawa

Several aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano, Benue and Adamawa states have rejected the outcomes of the party’s primary elections, alleging widespread irregularities, lack of transparency and violations of due process, deepening the internal crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to Ireporter Online, the aggrieved aspirants accused party officials of conducting flawed exercises that failed to meet acceptable democratic standards and have called on the national leadership to intervene and restore confidence in the process.

In Kano State, dissatisfied governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly aspirants, operating under the banner of Concerned ADC Aspirants and Stakeholders, questioned the legitimacy of the primaries. Their spokesperson, Wada Masu, argued that the elections could not have taken place on May 21 because aspirants were still undergoing screening on the same day, a development he said cast serious doubt on the credibility of the entire exercise. The group appealed to the party’s national leadership to launch an investigation and ensure a transparent resolution of the dispute.

However, the Kano State Chairman of the ADC, Musa Ungogo, dismissed the allegations, insisting that all established procedures were followed during the primaries. He attributed the complaints to unsuccessful contestants and disclosed that consultations were ongoing between leading governorship aspirants, Ibrahim Little and Malam Ibrahim Khalil, in an effort to reach a consensus.

In Benue State, at least nine House of Representatives aspirants have submitted petitions to the party’s appeal panel, challenging the conduct of the primaries. One of the aspirants, Inalegwu Ejembi, described the process as a disgrace, claiming that no election was held despite participants expecting to vote. While expressing confidence in the appeal process, he maintained that he had no plans to leave the party and believed the panel would address the concerns raised.

The controversy has also spread to Adamawa State, where House of Representatives aspirant Ahmed Bashir vowed to challenge the primary results in court. Bashir alleged that he was pressured to step down in favour of Adamu Atiku, the son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is the party’s presidential candidate. He further claimed that he was denied access to the appeal committee and had to forward his petition to the party’s national headquarters through a courier service. Bashir insisted he would seek judicial intervention to contest what he described as the declaration of a non-contestant as the winner.

Responding to the allegations, the Adamawa State Secretary of the ADC, Shagna Pwamaddi, defended the conduct of the primaries, maintaining that the exercise was free, fair and credible. He advised aggrieved members to pursue their grievances through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms.