The Intellectual Progressive Movement (IPM), a support group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has protested the alleged replacement of the party’s House of Representatives candidate for the Suleja–Tafa–Gurara Federal Constituency in Niger State, Hon. Adamu Tanko, with an aspirant it said finished fourth in the party’s primary election.

 

The group described the development as an affront to internal democracy and urged the APC leadership to restore what it called the authentic outcome of the primary election.

 

The controversy followed the submission of the APC’s final list of National Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which showed that several aspirants who emerged from the party’s primaries were replaced after the National Working Committee (NWC) considered reports of its Primary Election Appeal Committee.

 

The affected candidates cut across several states, with the Suleja–Tafa–Gurara Federal Constituency among those impacted, where Abubakar Lado Abdullahi was listed in place of Tanko.

 

Results declared by the constituency’s collation officer, Prof. Yahaya Suleiman, on May 16 showed that Tanko won the APC primary election with 13,976 votes. Arafat Haruna came second with 1,391 votes, Umar Isa Jagaba polled 1,069 votes, while Abubakar Lado finished fourth with 759 votes.

 

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the IPM, Amb. Mahmud Abubakar, expressed deep dissatisfaction over what he described as the replacement of Tanko, insisting that the lawmaker secured the mandate of party delegates and should remain the APC’s candidate for the constituency.

 

“It is shocking and completely unacceptable that there are reports of an attempt to replace him with Hon. Lado, who, according to the primary election results, finished fourth in the contest.

 

“To suggest that a candidate who came fourth should replace the candidate who came first is not only unprecedented but, in our opinion, undermines the principles of fairness, due process and internal democracy upon which the APC has built its reputation,” he said.

 

Abubakar warned that allowing the substitution to stand would send the wrong signal to party faithful and Nigerians who believe in the credibility of democratic processes.

 

The group described Tanko as a grassroots politician committed to youth empowerment, community development and effective representation, saying his emergence reflected the wishes of party delegates.

 

It called on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and the party’s leadership to urgently intervene and ensure that the mandate freely given to Tanko is protected and respected.

 

“Anything short of this would amount to a grave injustice against the democratic choice of APC members in the constituency,” the group said.

 

The IPM added that its position was informed by its commitment to justice, equity, party unity and the preservation of the APC’s internal democratic values, expressing confidence that the party leadership would uphold the genuine outcome of the primary election.