Taraba North APC group urges party to uphold primary result

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Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Taraba North Senatorial District, alongside the national leadership of the Conference of APC Support Groups, have alleged attempts to overturn the outcome of the party’s senatorial primary election in the district and called on the party leadership to respect what they described as the mandate of party members.

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In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the stakeholders congratulated Muhammad Bello on his emergence as the APC senatorial candidate for Taraba North, describing his victory as a reflection of the will of party members in the district.

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They also congratulated Senator Haruna Manu of Taraba Central and Senator David Jimkuta of Taraba South on their emergence as the party’s senatorial candidates, noting that their victories were declared by the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

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The group, however, alleged that some individuals within the party were making moves to reverse the outcome of the Taraba North primary election in a statement signed by the Coordinator of Taraba North Stakeholders, Abubakar Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of the Conference of APC Support Groups, Dr. Bilal Galadima.

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According to the statement, there were concerns that efforts were being made to overturn the result already declared in favour of Bello, whom the stakeholders described as the preferred candidate of APC members in the district.

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“It has come to our attention that certain individuals within the party are allegedly orchestrating clandestine moves to undermine and overturn the credible outcome of the Taraba North primary. There are credible concerns that attempts are being made to reverse the result already declared in favour of Hon. Muhammad Kabir Bello — a candidate widely and overwhelmingly accepted as the people’s choice,” the statement partly read.

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The stakeholders insisted that the primary election was conducted in line with the party’s guidelines and produced a clear winner, warning that any attempt to alter the outcome would undermine confidence in the party’s internal democratic processes.

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“We wish to state unequivocally that the will of Taraba North APC members must be respected. The primary election was conducted in accordance with party guidelines, observed by INEC, and produced a clear winner.

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“Any attempt to alter, manipulate, or subvert this duly declared mandate will not only violate party rules but will also erode public confidence in our democratic process,” the group stated.

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The stakeholders called on INEC to uphold its monitoring report and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

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They also urged the APC national leadership to resist what they termed external pressures and recognise the authentic winner of the primary election.

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The group further appealed to the Taraba State Government to remain neutral and ensure that there was no interference in the process.

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According to the statement, democracy can only thrive where fairness, transparency and respect for the choice of voters are upheld.

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“Any action aimed at disenfranchising Taraba North APC members will be resisted through all lawful and democratic means,” the stakeholders warned.

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They urged relevant authorities to act swiftly to protect the credibility of the party ahead of the general elections, insisting that the voice of APC members in Taraba North should not be ignored.

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The APC, like other major political parties in Nigeria, periodically conducts primary elections to select candidates for elective positions ahead of general elections. Such exercises have often generated disputes, with aggrieved aspirants and party stakeholders challenging outcomes through internal party mechanisms and the courts.

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Political analysts have repeatedly stressed the importance of transparent and credible primaries, arguing that the process is critical to strengthening internal democracy and reducing post-primary conflicts that could affect parties’ electoral fortunes.

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