Governor Babagana Zulum has commended the peaceful and orderly conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary held across Borno state.
The governor gave the commendation on Saturday, while speaking with journalists shortly after supervising the APC primary election for Gubio, Kaga and Magumeri Federal Constituency in Magumeri Town.
Key highlights:
- Babagana Zulum praised the peaceful conduct of the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary in Borno State.
- The primary for Gubio, Kaga, and Magumeri constituencies was largely decided through a consensus arrangement.
- Two aspirants stepped down for incumbent Rep. Usman Zannah, who was endorsed as the consensus candidate.
- Zulum said consensus in the APC is voluntary and does not prevent anyone from contesting via direct primary.
- Party stakeholders and officials, including INEC representatives, described the process as peaceful and orderly.
Hundreds of APC supporters from the three local government areas gathered at the venue to welcome the governor and party officials overseeing the exercise.
“We are here to witness the primary election in line with the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC constitution, which allows for consensus arrangements among aspirants,” Gov. Zulum said.
According to the governor, three aspirants initially indicated interest in contesting for the House of Representatives ticket, but two later stepped down in support of the incumbent lawmaker, Rep. Usman Zannah.
“We have three contestants vying for the position of the House of Representatives, but fortunately, under the consensus arrangement as enshrined in the constitution of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), two of the aspirants stepped down for the incumbent member, Usman Zannah,” he stated.
Gov. Zulum noted that party members and supporters from the three local government areas unanimously endorsed the consensus candidate.
The governor congratulated Rep. Zannah on his emergence and praised the aspirants who withdrew from the race, Shettima Shehu and Mohammed Sanda Ngamdu, describing their decision as a demonstration of party unity and political maturity.
“I want to extend my congratulations to the candidate and the others who stepped down for him,” Gov. Zulum said.
“I also want to express my appreciation to all APC supporters and the people of Borno State for ensuring a peaceful voting process.”
The governor further stressed that the APC consensus arrangement was voluntary and did not prevent anyone from contesting.
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“Under the consensus arrangement, the government of Borno State and the party have never taken a decision to stop anybody from contesting,” he explained.
“Consensus is a voluntary option, and anybody who does not wish to go for a consensus election has the right to participate in a direct primary.”
Chairman of the APC Primary Elections Committee for Gubio, Kaga and Magumeri Federal Constituency, Yuguda Vungas, confirmed that stakeholders and party members adopted consensus as the mode of the primary election.
He commended Gov. Zulum for providing an enabling environment for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the exercise.
Through a voice vote, APC members from the three local government areas unanimously affirmed Rep. Zannah as the party’s consensus candidate.
The exercise was attended by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC representatives from the party’s national headquarters.
