APC governorship primaries mockery of democracy — Sarkin Sharifai

A former Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Professor Mohammed Sani Haruna—known as Sarkin Sharifai—has denounced the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Nasarawa State as a “mockery of democracy” and a “deeply flawed process.”

Haruna made his remarks through a statement released by his media aide, Peter Ewu.

The APC primaries declared Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada the winner, as announced by the election committee chairman, Professor Theodore Maiyaki (SAN).

Haruna rejected the result outright, alleging widespread irregularities, voter suppression and manipulation of figures to favour the preferred candidate.

He claimed that individuals loyal to the government-backed aspirant were deployed as electoral officials in several parts of the state, compromising the credibility of the process.

He further said that many wards and polling centres never received electoral materials or officials, preventing numerous party members from participating.

“In my own electoral ward, neither electoral officials nor voting materials arrived, denying me and many others the opportunity to vote,” he stated.

The aspirant also alleged that supporters in several locations waited from morning until late at night for officials who never showed up, leading to frustration and disenfranchisement among loyal APC members.

He expressed concern over reports of intimidation, harassment and disruption allegedly carried out by certain individuals during the exercise, noting that such actions created fear and confusion in some polling areas.

Haruna insisted that his claims were backed by videos, photographs, reports and testimonies gathered from party stakeholders and observers across Nasarawa State.

“Anyone with a conscience and a sense of accountability before God should reject these results. What happened was nothing more than allocation of figures in most wards across the state. It was an insult to democracy and a betrayal of the electoral process,” he said.

He accused party leaders of denying members their constitutional right to freely choose their candidate, describing the entire process as a charade orchestrated with impunity.

The APC chieftain called on the party’s National Secretariat to cancel the exercise and conduct fresh, transparent and credible governorship primaries in line with democratic principles.

Despite his grievances, Haruna maintained that he and his supporters remain committed to peace, political maturity and democratic engagement as the 2027 general elections approach.

He urged his supporters to remain calm, law‑abiding and avoid violence while efforts are made to address the alleged injustice.

“Politics should never become a source of hatred, division or violence among our people,” he added.

The governorship aspirant further disclosed that he had begun extensive consultations with supporters, political associates, elders, youth and women groups, community leaders and other stakeholders within and outside the state.

According to him, the consultations are aimed at reviewing the current political situation and determining the most appropriate course of action in the interest of his supporters and the people of Nasarawa State.

“At the end of these consultations, we will formally unveil our next political direction and position to the public,” he concluded.