Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has indefinitely suspended the collation of results from its primaries in Jigawa State, following widespread violence, electoral irregularities, and internal party conflicts that paralysed the exercise for more than 48 hours. The decision was announced on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by the Chairman of the ADC Electoral Committee in Jigawa State, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Zaki Ahmed, at the collation centre located at Tahir Hotel in Dutse, the state capital. Ahmed told journalists that results had only been received from 19 out of the 27 local government areas, while several others remained outstanding or were compromised. He listed specific areas where the process collapsed, noting that Babura and Hadejia were characterised by malpractices and irregularities, Gwaram witnessed threats of violence capable of disrupting the entire process, and Guri Local Government Area recorded no election at all due to clashes between rival factional leaders of the party. The troubled exercise, which began on Monday, May 25, 2026, covered the nomination of candidates for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and presidential positions, but quickly descended into confusion as disputes, threats, and outright failure to conduct polls in some areas stalled the process.
The suspension came at the heart of a fierce governorship contest between Hon. Adamu Jumbo and Senator Sabo Nakudu, a race that has sharply divided delegates and power blocs across the state. The two aspirants, along with their supporters, have engaged in intense lobbying and disputes over the outcome of results from key local government areas, with the credibility of outcomes from Babura, Hadejia, and Gwaram under intense scrutiny. The deadlock has also affected collation for other positions, including State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and presidential primaries, all of which remain officially undeclared. Ahmed had initially announced that collation would resume after the Eid-el-Kabir prayers on Wednesday at 2 p.m., but the severity of the issues raised by the day's events suggests the process faces indefinite delays.
The crisis in the ADC’s Jigawa State primaries reflects broader challenges confronting opposition parties in Nigeria as they attempt to build credible structures capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Internal democracy has historically been one of the weakest links in Nigerian party politics, with primaries frequently descending into chaos, litigation and open conflict that leave parties weakened and divided at the very moment they need to be consolidating their strength. For the ADC, the suspension represents a significant setback to its ambition of presenting a united front for the 2027 elections, and the party now faces the difficult task of resolving its internal disputes while preserving any semblance of credibility.
Exhausted delegates, agents, and supporters who had spent two nights at the collation centre reacted with frustration and anxiety as the suspension was announced. Security operatives were drafted to maintain order amid the charged atmosphere, and the venue remained tense as party faithful awaited further developments. Despite the setbacks, the ADC electoral committee expressed appreciation for the cooperation of party members and security personnel throughout the exercise, and called for continued patience as efforts to resolve the impasse continue. The party has not yet announced a new timeline for the resumption of collation, and no official winner has emerged in any of the major categories of the primaries in Jigawa State as of the time of this report.
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