From Sodiq Omolaoye

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Manu Haruna, as the unopposed candidate for the Taraba Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming general elections.

The declaration followed the party’s senatorial primary election conducted on Monday across the five local government areas that make up the district.

Announcing the results on Tuesday in Bali Local Government Area, the returning officer, Engineer Hamza Faruk, said the exercise was peaceful and conducted in line with APC guidelines and the Electoral Act.

Faruk confirmed that Senator Manu polled a total of 59,009 votes across the district, with no other aspirant contesting against him in the primary.

The breakdown of the results showed that Sardauna Local Government Area recorded 13,256 votes, Bali Local Government Area 9,904 votes, Kurmi Local Government Area 6,112 votes, Gassol Local Government Area 21,325 votes, while Gashaka Local Government Area delivered 8,412 votes.

According to the returning officer, the process reflected strong party consensus and compliance with internal democratic procedures.

The outcome has since sparked jubilation among party members and supporters across Taraba Central, who described Manu’s emergence as a show of unity within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.