A former Inspector General of Police and a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Nasarawa State, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, has accused his party leadership in the state of plotting to subvert the forthcoming primaries through ward executives.

Speaking through the Chairman of Counter and Mobilisation of his campaign team, Mr. Isah Nathaniel, on Monday in Lafia, Abubaksr accused the party leadership of an alleged coordinated scheme to pressure ward executives across the 147 wards of the state into endorsing a preferred aspirant ahead of the 2027 elections.

The gubernatorial aspirant stated that it is not party organization but “political manipulation in its crudest form,” lamenting that what is being disguised as coordination is, in truth, “a brazen attempt to hijack the will of party members and impose a predetermined outcome.”

The allegation came a few hours after the State Chairman of the party, Dr. Aliyu Bello, promised that the leadership would provide a level playing field for all aspirants during the primaries.

But Abubakar warned that the move to use ward executives for a clandestine motive could throw the party into chaos and undermine its fortunes ahead of the 2027 elections, especially as stakeholders have agreed to adopt direct primaries for all elective positions.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate notice of the development and act decisively to protect the integrity of the party in the state.

He also called for urgent intervention from the party’s National Working Committee to halt the “unfolding illegality and restore constitutional order”.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to stay alert against any attempt to impose outcomes through coercion, statainh that it is a direct threat to public peace and must not be ignored.
The party assured that it would ensure a free and fair process during the primaries.

Its chairman, Dr. Bello, explained that it is not working to undermine anyone, stressing that even as Governor Sule has the right to endorse an aspirant of his choice, his choice cannot stop others from vying for the position.