APC reps primaries: Protest erupts in Numan as stakeholders accuse Fintiri of betrayal
• Aspirants give party ultimatum to reverse self or face rejection in 2027
Tension has continued to mount within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State following protests that erupted in Numan over the controversial conduct of the party’s House of Representatives primaries for the Demsa, Numan and Lamurde Federal Constituency.
The protest, which drew hundreds of party stakeholders, aspirants, youths and women groups to the APC zonal secretariat in Numan on Sunday, was triggered by allegations that the primary election was manipulated in favour of Fintiri’s longtime ally Barr Kwamoti La’ori in total disregard to due democratic process.
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Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “No to Imposition,” “Let the People Decide,” and “Democracy Must Prevail,” the protesters insisted that no credible primary election was conducted, alleging instead that an unpopular candidate was imposed on the constituency against the wishes of the constituents saying such represents a dangerous slide to anarchy.
The aggrieved stakeholders accused the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, of betraying the trust and confidence the people had invested in him by allegedly backing a process they described as undemocratic and unfair.
Many of the protesters expressed disappointment that despite the governor’s growing political influence and popularity in the Southern Senatorial Zone, he allegedly allowed what they termed an “electoral heist” to take place within the APC. They said Adamawa South has over the years remained Fintiri’s political foothold adding that paying back the zone with betrayal is a huge miscalculation.
According to them, the action risks creating deep divisions within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Some youth and women leaders who addressed the gathering warned that the APC could suffer massive electoral setbacks in the constituency if the party leadership failed to urgently reverse the outcome of the disputed primaries.
“We supported this government because we believed it would promote justice and fairness, but what happened here is a betrayal of the democratic spirit,” one of the protesters said.
Some of the aggrieved aspirants, including Usoko Ken and Vrati Nzonzo, openly rejected the outcome of the exercise, insisting that the process lacked transparency and credibility.
They maintained that the issue was not about personal ambition but about protecting the integrity of the APC and ensuring that grassroots party members are allowed to determine who represents them.
According to the aspirants, they had invested significant time, resources and political energy mobilising support across Demsa, Numan and Lamurde local government areas and therefore deserved a level playing field.
They further warned that if the party leadership fails to address the matter before the Monday’s senatorial primaries, the APC could face rejection from voters in the area during the 2027 elections.
The protesters called on the national and state leadership of the APC to immediately cancel any alleged imposed list and organise a free, fair and transparent primary election capable of restoring confidence in the party.
Despite their grievances, the aggrieved aspirants reiterated their loyalty to the APC and pledged to continue pursuing redress through constitutional and peaceful means.
