Aggrieved Candidates in Plateau APC Primaries Petition Appeal Committee

Yemi Kosoko in Jos

Aggrieved aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State have filed a series of petitions with the National Assembly Appeal Committee, alleging that the state’s primary election was the most flawed it has ever seen.

Documents and testimonies presented to the committee show that nine petitions stemmed from the Senate primaries and eight from the House of Representatives contests.

Speaking on behalf of the National Assembly aspirants, Senator Diket Plang of Plateau Central told reporters that no valid senatorial primary was held in several federal constituencies. He said that where voting began, the process was abruptly halted, manipulated, or replaced with “allocated results.”

“For someone to sit and allocate 1,423 votes to me as a sitting senator, when my ward alone has over 2,000 registered party members, is blackmail and unacceptable,” Plang said, asserting that the process violated the Electoral Act and APC guidelines.

He argued that the party’s directive for direct primaries—where all registered members vote—was ignored. Instead, opaque procedures, missing accreditation, absent agents, and results that appeared only on social media were used.

Plang further accused unnamed party officials of misusing the President’s name to impose preferred candidates, describing such claims as “lies and blackmail.”

In a dramatic turn, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Gyang Zi, a former aspirant for the Plateau North senatorial ticket, has withdrawn from the race and issued a ₦10 billion demand notice to the APC.

In a letter to the APC National Chairman, Zi said he was shocked to find his name listed among “not cleared” aspirants on the party’s official social media handle on the morning of the primary, without explanation.

Although the post was later deleted, Zi said the damage had already been done.

He is demanding: a refund of nomination forms ₦20 million, a refund of the state processing fee ₦2 million, compensation for campaign expenses ₦60 million, damages for defamation ₦10 billion, and a formal written apology.

Zi said the publication “destabilized” his supporters, damaged his reputation, and undermined his chances in the primary.

Also submitting a petition, Hon. John Dafwan, member for Shendam/Qua’an Pan/Mikang Federal Constituency, said the primaries were marred by procedural violations, lack of transparent collation, and, in some cases, the complete absence of voting.

He cited Shendam LGA, where he said no election took place, yet results were mysteriously produced.

“If something did not take place, it did not take place. You cannot allocate votes for an election that never happened,” Dafwan said.

Despite his grievances, Dafwan reaffirmed his loyalty to the party, urging the APC to correct the anomalies to avoid internal fractures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The APC Appeal Committee is expected to review all petitions and issue recommendations.

Aspirants say they will remain loyal to the party but insist that any manipulated results must be nullified and fresh primaries conducted where necessary.