A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has raised concerns over what he described as the deliberate exclusion of his supporters from the party’s ongoing electronic registration exercise.
In a statement issued in Gusau, Shinkafi said many of his supporters were not captured during the e-registration exercise across the state’s 14 local government areas, describing the situation as a violation of Article 9 (1) of the APC constitution.
He said reports from his coordinators in all 14 local councils and 147 wards pointed to alleged interference by powerful figures within the party.
According to him, the exclusion was allegedly orchestrated against members of his political group, the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, whom he insisted are “bonafide members of APC in Zamfara State.”
Shinkafi warned that the development has created serious tension within the party.
“The situation has raised grievous fear, that the reform exercise the party introduced has been compromised, has caused in-party factions and disunity among the ranks and files of members of APC in the state,” he said.
He called on the APC national leadership to intervene immediately.
“We hereby urged the National Chairman of our great party (APC) to constitute independent and transparent investigation panel to address this act of impunity and injustices, and anyone found wanting should be sanctioned in accordance with the party constitutional disciplinary measures,” the statement said.
Shinkafi also cautioned that failure to act swiftly could undermine the purpose of the e-registration exercise.
“If it is not checkmated in the earliest possible time, it will derail the aims and objectives of this technological innovation by the pragmatic National Chairman of our Party,” he added.
He accused those handling the registration of abusing the trust reposed in them, saying: “Those entrusted with the responsibility of the registration exercise have compromised their position and breached the truth entrusted to them by the National Leadership of the party.”
The APC chieftain further alleged the intimidation of party members.
“They keep threatening, intimidating and harassing other members of the party who have not succumbed to their undemocratic attitude, flagrant disrespect for internal party democracy,” he said.
Shinkafi urged the National Working Committee to act urgently to prevent further division.
He warned that unresolved grievances could lead to internal crises and a repeat of past electoral losses, citing the party’s defeats in Zamfara during the 2019 and 2023 elections.