About 55 aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State who voluntarily stepped down from various elective contests in the interest of party unity have accused the party leadership and the Kaduna State Government of neglecting and marginalising loyal members.

The aggrieved aspirants, operating under the banner of the Kaduna State House of Assembly APC Aspirants Forum 2026, said they abandoned their political ambitions following appeals by party leaders, believing that their loyalty, discipline and commitment to the party would be rewarded with fairness, inclusion and recognition.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by the forum’s chairman, Godwin Luka (Maisolar), and Secretary, Tahir Gambo Abubakar, the group lamented that, despite remaining steadfast and loyal to the APC, repeated efforts to seek an audience with the party leadership and the Kaduna State Government had yielded no positive response.

According to the forum, members voluntarily withdrew from their respective contests to preserve party unity and enhance the APC’s electoral prospects, describing the decision as a significant sacrifice made in the collective interest of the ruling party.

The aspirants, however, expressed disappointment that, months after making the sacrifice, they had allegedly been excluded from appointments, consultations and other political engagements.

They further alleged that, while loyal party members who complied with the directives of the leadership had been sidelined, individuals who openly criticised the party or opposed its decisions were allegedly being rewarded with appointments and political opportunities.

The statement said, “We willingly sacrificed our personal ambitions after appeals by the leadership because we believed our loyalty, discipline and commitment to the party would be recognised and appreciated.

“We remain committed to the ideals and success of the APC, but our patience and loyalty should not be mistaken for weakness, neither should our sacrifices be taken for granted.”

The forum stressed that its members were not demanding special treatment but were simply calling for justice, fairness and recognition of those who made personal sacrifices to strengthen the party.

It warned that continued neglect of loyal members could affect the morale of party faithful as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While reaffirming their loyalty to Governor Uba Sani and the APC, the aspirants urged the governor and the party leadership to engage members of the forum urgently and address their grievances before they escalate.

They also noted that many members of the forum command significant political influence across their respective constituencies, adding that their supporters were closely monitoring developments and would expect direction as preparations for the next general elections intensify.

“We have no regrets supporting the success of our great party. However, loyalty should be rewarded. Justice, equity and fairness remain the foundation for sustaining unity and strengthening the APC ahead of future elections,” the statement added.

The forum expressed optimism that the party leadership would resolve the matter through constructive dialogue, insisting that recognising and accommodating loyal members would further consolidate the APC’s unity and electoral strength in Kaduna State.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kaduna State chapter of the APC nor the Kaduna State Government had issued an official response to the allegations.

Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Abuja Federal High Court has dismissed the objections by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress ADC, David Mark, to the bid by Nafiu Bala Gombe to amend his claims in a suit over the leadership dispute in the party.

The judge in a ruling on Friday held that the objections by Mark and Rauf Aregbesola to originating summons amendment by Nafiu Gombe were frivolous, baseless and without merit.

Justice Lifu said that the sought amendment which was to give life to the case of the plaintiff was a normal attempt in a civil litigation to ensure that miscarriage of justice is prevented.

Besides, the judge held that the sought amendment was occasioned by a change of counsel adding that the apprehension exhibited by David Mark was unnecessary and uncalled for.

Justice Lifu said that the ADC national chairman and other defendants in the matter are at liberty to file counter affidavit against the amended originating summons to indicate consequential amendment to the earlier one.

The judge said that after perusing the whole objections of the defendants, he was unable to see where they would be overwhelmed or jeopardized if the amendment was granted.

Justice Lifu consequently dismissed the objections and allowed the amendment by the plaintiff. He imposed a fine of N500,000 on Mark and Aregbesola to be paid to Nafiu Bala Gombe.

David Mark and the National Secretary of the party, Rauf Aregbesola, had kicked against the fresh attempt by Nafiu Bala Gombe to amend claims in the leadership suit filed against them.

Mark and Aregbesola had urged Justice Lifu  not to allow the amendments to the allegations against them on the ground that doing so would lead to a miscarriage of justice.

Nafiu Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, had through his counsel, Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, moved an application seeking amendments to the originating summons he filed against the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, and others, challenging the emergence of the defendants as new national officers of the party.

Gombe insisted that he had the right under the law to make any amendments necessary to ensure justice in his suit.

The plaintiff had predicated the proposed amendments on eight grounds and a six-paragraph affidavit, maintaining that the law backed his decision as long as judgment had not been delivered in the matter.

However, David Mark, represented by Dr. Suleiman Umar, SAN, had opposed the application on several grounds.

The senior lawyer had argued that the parties had already joined issues and that granting any amendments would give the plaintiff an undue and undeserved advantage after seeing the strength of the defence already filed and served on him.

He had urged the court to reject the application, describing it as detrimental to his client and contrary to the principles of natural justice.

On his part, Aregbesola, through his counsel, Realwan Okpanachi, had alleged that Nafiu Bala Gombe had changed the character of his case against the defendants through the sought amendments.

The former Governor of Osun State faulted the plaintiff’s new claims, adding that, contrary to the allegations, the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the ADC changed the national leadership on July 29, 2025, during a duly convened NEC meeting.

He had argued that notice of the NEC meeting was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on July 1, as required by law, thereby ensuring the legality of the emergence of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as national leaders.

Referring to the earlier originating summons, Aregbesola said Nafiu Gombe had attached an unsigned copy of the ADC Constitution and, after seeing the defendants’ objections, had now introduced a signed copy in the amended process to strengthen his case.

Insisting that “he who comes to equity must come with clean hands,” Aregbesola urged Justice Lifu to reject the application on the ground that “new claims, different documents and exhibits have been introduced through the amendments.”

He argued that the proposed amendments were made in bad faith and constituted an abuse of court process because they were filed after the Supreme Court judgment directing an accelerated hearing of the matter.

The defendant urged the judge to hold that the sought amendments lacked merit and should be dismissed.

Nafiu Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and others from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

The plaintiff sued the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, as first to fifth defendants, respectively.

Gombe argued that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as national leaders of the party violated the provisions of the ADC Constitution as well as the Electoral Act.

Vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has responded to criticism by former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Abdullahi Ganduje.

Ganduje had on Tuesday said the NDC Peter Obi and Kwankwaso presidential ticket stands no chance of winning Kano State in the 2027 general election. He declared that the ticket is dead on arrival.

Ganduje equally claimed that the ticket lacks the political strength and leadership record needed to win support in the state.

Reacting, Kwankwaso said “Ganduje has no reason to make that statement”, pointing out that the APC christian was defeated when he was governor but he could not do anything.

Speaking on News Central TV, Kwankwaso said, “We supported him 2015. In 2023 we defeated him and if he could not do anything when he was governor, what can he do now?”