APC Delegates’ Congress Under Fire as Yamawo Condemns Process Ahead of 2026 AMAC Election

The results of the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates’ congress and Abuja Metropolitan Area Council (AMAC) primaries are still up in the air, with party leaders continuing to accuse the body of irregularities.

Honorable Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, a candidate for the chairmanship of the 2026 AMAC council, accused the recent primaries “held on June 25, 2025” of “gross injustice, deliberate exclusion, and abuse of internal democracy” during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.

A pre-selected candidate was declared the victor of the chairmanship primary, Yamawo informed reporters, regretting the exercise’s secrecy.

In addition, he called the party’s delegates convention, which took place throughout AMAC’s twelve wards, a fraud and denounced its behavior.

A clearly alarmed Hon. Yamawo stated that he had anticipated “transparency and fairness” in the process after fulfilling all constitutional procedures to run for the chairmanship position, including getting the expression of interest and nomination papers for 20 million naira (N20 million).

To guarantee that delegate candidates would be eligible to attend the delegates congress, I also paid for and filed delegate forms and paid the three-year dues.

He bemoaned, “The process was tainted by anomalies, a lack of openness, and outright manipulation.

The candidate for chairmanship clarified the actions taken to settle the disputes through internal party channels, saying, “In response to this, I formally submitted a petition to the Delegate Congress Appeal Committee, rejecting the process and demanding a rescheduled congress that would truly reflect the will of the people.”

“I have not heard back from the APC National Secretariat or the appeal committee as of yet.

The committee that was dispatched from APC National Headquarters arrived with a predetermined agenda that was obviously intended to give preference to one candidate over another.

“This degree of manipulation and exclusion sets a dangerous precedent,” he said, voicing worries. It sends a message to the outside world that internal democracy and fairness are no longer valued by the APC.

Our party’s future is at jeopardy if such serious injustices are permitted to continue. It discourages devoted followers and promotes impunity among our members.

In part, the statement he signed said, “I speak not only as a candidate in the recent Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairmanship primary election, but also as a founding member of the APC in AMAC and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a devoted and active member who has paid his dues and served this party with unwavering commitment since its inception.”

“I met all constitutional conditions to run for chairmanship as an APC financial member. I paid $20,000,000.00 to obtain the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.

To guarantee delegate candidates’ eligibility to attend the delegates congress, I also paid for and filed delegate forms and paid the three-year dues.

“I thought that this procedure would be open, trustworthy, and consistent with our party’s basic principles of justice, equity, inclusion, and internal democracy.

We were shocked to learn that the delegates’ congress, which took place on June 21, 2025, in all twelve wards of AMAC, was a total farce.

The committee that was dispatched from the APC National Headquarters arrived with a predetermined agenda that was obviously intended to give preference to one candidate over another.

“Inconsistencies, a lack of openness, and plain manipulation plagued the process.

“In response, I formally petitioned the Delegate Congress Appeal Committee to reject the procedure and call for a new congress that would accurately represent the people’s wishes.

“I have not heard back from the APC National Secretariat or the appeal committee as of yet.

The national party leadership was totally silent in response to our repeated demands for justice, including a follow-up letter asking that the Chairmanship primary be rescheduled.

To make matters worse, neither I nor any other candidate received any official notification that the primary election will begin on June 25, 2025.

There was a lot of secrecy surrounding the process, and by the time the results were out, a pre-selected candidate had won an election that I and many others were purposefully left out of.

This is a violation of every premise upon which the APC was founded, and it is not only unacceptable.

If it wasn’t enough, there were also a lot of irregularities in the councillorship primaries in some wards, particularly Gwarimpa Ward.

In one startling case, an applicant who lost the primary for councillorship was deemed elected and was given a certificate of return. This willful disrespect for due process is unacceptable.

This degree of exclusion and manipulation creates a risky precedent. It sends a message to the outside world that internal democracy and fairness are no longer valued by the APC.

“Our party’s future is in jeopardy if such serious injustices are permitted to continue. Within our ranks, it promotes impunity and demoralizes devoted members.

“I hereby demand the following as a devoted party member and stakeholder:

“An impartial inquiry committee should be established by the party leadership and the newly appointed APC National Chairman, Professor Nantawe Goshwe Yilwatda, to examine:

The AMAC Delegates Congress’s behavior.

The primaries for chairmanship and councillorship,

The illegal issuance of certificates of return.

“That, in compliance with the party’s constitution, a new, credible, and inclusive primary be held in place of the June 25th AMAC Chairmanship primary.

“That the party publicly recognize, respond to, and address petitions filed by candidates, including mine, and address all valid complaints.”

To be clear, I am still dedicated to the principles of the All Progressives Congress and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Tinubu is a leader who continues to motivate many of us.

But we run the risk of offending the same people who founded this party if we permit injustice, exclusion, and deception to persist.

“I call on all party members, leaders, and genuine progressives to stand up for the core principles of our party.

The selection of well-liked and competent candidates who can win the general elections is no longer reflected on the party ticket; instead, it now represents those who have the support of wealthy and influential sponsors. The future of our party is in grave danger due to this increasing tendency of imposition.

“Most members no longer believe the party can maintain justice and fairness, and loyalty to the party has drastically decreased.

Therefore, it is imperative that we save what millions of people have labored so hard to create over the years from being destroyed by the self-serving interests of a select few.