Shinkafi petitions Defence Minister over alleged military interference in Zamfara APC primary

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial District, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has petitioned the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), over alleged military interference, intimidation and irregularities during the party’s November 2, 2026 rerun senatorial primary.

In the petition, Shinkafi called for an investigation into the alleged involvement of serving military personnel in the exercise, which he claimed was marred by irregularities and questionable result sheets.

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The petition, dated November 9 and acknowledged by the Ministry of Defence on November 10, was submitted through his solicitor, Salihu Y. Aliyu of YAS Law Firm.

The rerun primary followed a judgment of the Federal High Court in Gusau, subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which nullified the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 28, 2026, and ordered a fresh exercise involving all cleared aspirants.

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However, Shinkafi alleged that the November 2 rerun failed to meet the requirements of a credible and transparent process, accusing some serving military officers of involvement in the party’s internal electoral affairs.

According to the petition, military personnel allegedly deployed armoured vehicles and gun trucks during the exercise, creating an atmosphere of intimidation and disrupting the participation of party members.

He claimed that the alleged interference affected the conduct of the primary in Shinkafi, Zurmi, Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas.

The aspirant also questioned the authenticity of the results declared, alleging that 42 ward result sheets and the senatorial district result sheet were produced under questionable circumstances.

He further claimed that official voting materials were unavailable at some designated centres, raising concerns about how the results were compiled and declared.

Shinkafi called for an independent examination of the disputed result sheets and an investigation into the conduct of the primary election committee and other individuals allegedly involved in the process.

A major issue raised in the petition was the alleged presence and participation of serving military personnel in the party’s internal electoral exercise, despite their purported absence from the police operation order outlining security arrangements for the rerun.
The petitioner cited Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Sections 56, 91, 114 and 136 of the Armed Forces Act, arguing that the alleged conduct, if established, could raise questions about compliance with constitutional provisions and military professional ethics.

He urged the Defence Ministry to examine video recordings, photographs, disputed result sheets and other materials reportedly submitted with the petition.
Among his demands were an immediate investigation by the appropriate military authorities, scrutiny of the conduct of all personnel allegedly involved and disciplinary action against anyone found culpable.

He also requested the possible interdiction of personnel under investigation pending the outcome of the inquiry, as well as court-martial proceedings where sufficient evidence establishes offences under military law.
Beyond the allegations of military involvement, Shinkafi maintained that the controversy surrounding the rerun primary raised broader concerns about internal democracy, fairness and the right of all cleared aspirants to participate in a transparent electoral process.

He insisted that the outcome of the exercise should not be accepted without addressing the complaints raised by aggrieved aspirants and party members.
The APC chieftain also called for greater accountability in the party’s internal electoral processes, particularly as it prepares for future political contests.

He linked his demand for transparency to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, arguing that the integrity of party primaries should reflect the administration’s stated commitment to accountability.

The petition reportedly included copies of the disputed ward and senatorial district result sheets, video and photographic evidence, and the police operation order for the November 2 rerun.

There was no response from the Ministry of Defence included in the petition details available for this report. The allegations against the military personnel have not been independently established.

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