Following his victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani has called on aggrieved aspirants to accept defeat and work for the party’s success in the 2027 general elections.

However, the campaign council of former Kaduna State House of Assembly Speaker and senatorial aspirant, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, rejected the outcome of the exercise, insisting that no valid primary election took place across the zone.

Addressing journalists after the primaries, Shehu Sani appealed to APC stakeholders and members to unite ahead of the general elections.

“I must thank the party leadership and members in Kaduna for their votes, prayers, support, solidarity, and the way they identified with me in the realization of my dream of once again representing Kaduna Central in the Senate,” he said.

Sani also expressed appreciation to Uba Sani and Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their support during the contest.

“I must also thank my friend, brother, and governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, for standing by me in this battle which we have won. I also appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and solidarity throughout this period,” he added.

The former senator described Kaduna State as the political capital of Northern Nigeria, stressing the need for courageous and effective representation at the National Assembly.
He pledged to continue defending the interests of his constituents, recalling his previous tenure in the Senate about eight years ago.

“My objective is to ensure that the interests, dreams, and expectations of my people are properly represented in parliament,” he stated.
Sani further stressed the importance of the National Assembly in sustaining democracy, accountability, and oversight of government policies and programmes.

According to him, Northern Nigeria faces serious challenges, including poverty, insecurity, industrial backwardness, and social decay, which require national legislative attention.

He also praised Governor Uba Sani for promoting unity between the predominantly Muslim northern part of Kaduna State and the largely Christian southern region.

“For those who refused to step down and insisted on contesting, our hands remain open for unity and peaceful coexistence so we can build the party together,” he said.
Sani urged Nigerians to reject attempts to exploit ethnic and religious divisions ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, the Zailani Campaign Council dismissed the outcome of the APC primary, alleging that the process was flawed and non-transparent.

Speaking on behalf of the council, Deputy Director-General of the campaign, Cafra Caino, claimed that party members waited for hours across the seven local government areas without seeing election officials or materials.
“Party faithful waited at various ward and party offices, but there were no election materials in sight,” he said.

Caino argued that the process failed to meet the standards set by the APC National Working Committee and questioned the credibility of the announced results.

“Consequently, the Right Honourable Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani Campaign Council unequivocally rejects the purported result announced for the Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone primary election,” he declared.