Five civil society groups have called for immediate cancellation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary in Kano State, over alleged malpractices.

Besides, the groups urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject the outcome of the primary that produced the Deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna, as flagbearer for the 2023 election, for lack of merit.

Gawuna contested against the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Security and Intelligence, Shaaban Sharada, who represents Kano Municipal.

Addressing the press in Kano, yesterday, the leader of the groups, Musa Tukur Musa, lamented that the primary was marred by irregularities, with the deployment of political thugs to harass and intimidate delegates of aspirants not supported by the government.

ALSO, the Forum of Former Legislators in APC has condemned the recommendation of the National Assembly to remove their members as national delegates to the party’s presidential primary.

In a statement by the chairman, Umar Sadiq, in Kano, yesterday, the forum dissociated itself from any arbitrary move that would prevent its members from exercising their rights as members of the APC.

Citing Chapter 12 of the party’s constitution, which states the roles of the former legislators as accredited delegates in the states congresses and national convention, the forum described attempts to sideline them as a violation of their fundamental rights and, by extension, a violation of the Nigerian constitution.

Part of the statement reads: “That any member of our great party, the APC, calling for our removal from being delegates, is doing so to suit his or her desire to tarnish the good image of our party and sabotage its chances of winning the general elections come 2023. It will reduce our chances of participating in a democratic process.

“That since we have exercised and enjoyed the rights of being delegates in previous dispensations, we do not see any need for our party to change course when the need is even more important at this time of our general elections.”

They, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari, as a democrat, not to heed the call of their removal.

“Some of the government officials were among the delegates that voted. And there were serious harassment and thuggery outside the hall, which makes it difficult to access the indoor hall or move out of the hall in which many party supporters were attacked by hired thugs,” they added.