Nigeria’s APC plunges into legal turmoil in Zamfara as Shinkafi drags senatorial primary to court, intensifying 2027 power struggle

A mounting political and legal confrontation has erupted within Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, as prominent party figure Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi drags the party, alongside the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), before the Federal High Court in Gusau over the disputed outcome of its senatorial primary for Zamfara North.

The lawsuit has thrown fresh spotlight on deepening cracks within the party’s internal structure, with allegations that the primary process that produced Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u as candidate was neither transparent nor compliant with established party and electoral guidelines.

Court battle exposes internal party fault lines At the centre of the legal action is Shinkafi’s claim that the APC failed to conduct a valid direct primary or secure a legitimate consensus arrangement among all cleared aspirants.

He is asking the court to invalidate the result and compel the party to organize a fresh primary election that fully includes all qualified contestants, insisting that the process that led to the emergence of the current candidate undermines internal democracy and breaches electoral rules.

The case effectively places the legitimacy of the APC’s nomination process under judicial review, a development that adds legal pressure to already tense political relations within the state chapter of the party.

Zamfara APC tensions deepen ahead of 2027 elections The dispute reflects broader instability within the APC in Zamfara, a state long characterized by factional divisions and recurring leadership battles that continue to shape its political direction.

Party insiders say the lawsuit could further widen existing cracks, as rival blocs struggle for influence over candidate selection and control of party structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While APC leadership has maintained that its primary exercises were conducted within party rules, aggrieved members increasingly appear willing to challenge outcomes in court, underscoring a growing reliance on judicial arbitration in Nigeria’s internal party politics.

As the matter progresses through the courts, analysts say the ruling could set a significant precedent for how political parties manage internal democracy, dispute resolution, and candidate emergence in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive electoral environment.