Governorship aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Saidu Ahmed Alkali, has announced his decision to boycott the forthcoming APC governorship primaries in Gombe State, citing what he described as “gross abuse” of constitutional provisions, the Electoral Act, and the party’s guidelines.
In a press release issued on Tuesday by Umar Alkali Jibril, the Special Assistant on Media, Alkali said his withdrawal from participation in the primaries scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2026, became necessary following what he termed widespread irregularities that marred the recent House of Representatives and Senate primaries conducted in parts of Gombe State.
The former minister and APC aspirant stated that despite fulfilling all requirements for participation, including the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms as well as successfully undergoing party screening, he had lost confidence in the credibility and fairness of the exercise.
According to him, the House of Representatives primaries conducted in Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye and Billiri/Balanga Federal Constituencies, alongside the Gombe Central Senatorial District primary held on May 16 and 18 respectively, were allegedly characterized by manipulation, lack of transparency, and non-compliance with democratic procedures.
Alkali further alleged that the exercises violated Section 86 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which mandates political parties conducting direct primaries to strictly adhere to their internal guidelines and due process.
He claimed that the affected primaries lacked the basic ingredients of a credible election, including the presence of voting materials, electoral officials, monitors, and proper logistics, insisting that the outcomes announced did not reflect any transparent or inclusive electoral process.
The APC governorship aspirant said the alleged irregularities had created a dangerous precedent capable of undermining public confidence in the party’s internal democratic process in Gombe State.
“Given the unfortunate loss of confidence generated by the conduct of the recent primaries, it has become difficult to convince party members and stakeholders that the forthcoming governorship primary will produce a credible and acceptable outcome,” Alkali noted.
Despite his decision to boycott the exercise, Alkali reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC and pledged continued support toward ensuring the party’s victory in the 2027 general elections.
He also expressed appreciation to his supporters and residents of Gombe State for remaining peaceful and committed amid what he described as attempts to undermine democratic principles within the state chapter of the party.
The aspirant called on the national leadership of the APC to cancel the disputed primaries in the affected constituencies and constitute a high-powered committee to conduct fresh, transparent, and credible elections in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the party’s guidelines.