A serious procedural dispute has hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary election for the Langtang North-Central Constituency in Plateau State, raising concerns over internal party democracy.
Hon. Nanbol Josiah Gommam reportedly emerged as the winner of the direct primary election, which was conducted across all nine wards of the constituency. Following the collation of votes, the designated Returning Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Audu, officially declared Gommam the winner.
However, controversy hit the process shortly after the declaration. Dr. Audu was allegedly informed that he had been replaced by another official, Miri Timnan Nyantau, and the original certificate of return meant for Gommam was withheld.
Dr. Audu claimed that Jibrin Banchir, the Principal Private Secretary to the APC National Chairman, told him that the new appointment came from the national headquarters in Abuja. Subsequently, Nandir Lar was reportedly presented as the party’s candidate, sparking allegations of top-down imposition against party guidelines.
Party stakeholders have argued that altering a declared result undermines internal democracy and risks alienating members ahead of the general election.
Gommam maintained that the primary election was peaceful and transparent, adding that the process was backed by video evidence and official ward results. While his supporters expressed worry over the conflicting developments, Gommam stated that he is awaiting the APC’s official candidate list before deciding on his next course of action.
Meanwhile, Dr. Audu has submitted a formal petition to the APC National Chairman. In the petition, he reaffirmed that the primary followed strict guidelines and offered to provide all original election materials for verification.
