Pandemonium erupted on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, as angry youths protested what they described as manipulation of the exercise.
The tension reportedly escalated after the party’s local government chairman, Bashir Jibrin Jaji, was allegedly forced into a waiting vehicle by aggrieved youths who accused party officials of disenfranchising voters.
The primary, held to select the APC candidate for the Igabi Federal Constituency, was contested by Sani Abdulkadir Dakaci and Hussaini Jalo.
Eyewitnesses said the situation deteriorated after allegations emerged that proper accreditation and vote counting were not conducted during the exercise.
Some party members claimed that the process was abruptly concluded and Hussaini Jalo was declared winner without what they described as a transparent collation of votes.
An eyewitness, Musa Salihu, said many supporters had queued up to participate in the exercise but were never counted before the announcement was made.
“We lined up, but nobody counted us. Suddenly, they came out and declared Jalo the winner. That is not an election,” he said.
The development sparked outrage among supporters, leading to protests that disrupted the exercise and threw the venue into confusion.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while the outcome of the primary remained a subject of controversy.
