Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
Former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, has accused some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State of allegedly misleading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that internal divisions within the party could undermine its electoral strength in the state.
Zailani made the remarks during an Eid-el-Kabir gathering with political supporters in Kaduna on Saturday, June 14, 2026, where he reflected on the outcome of the APC senatorial primary for Kaduna Central, which he recently contested and lost. He alleged that the internal selection process within the party was compromised and did not reflect a genuinely competitive or transparent exercise.
The former Speaker claimed that individuals currently presenting themselves as loyal political allies of the President in Kaduna lack the grassroots structure and electoral reach required to deliver meaningful votes in future elections. He argued that such actors were not representative of the party’s broader support base across the state.
“We expected a free and fair primary election, but that was not the case,” Zailani said during the gathering in Kaduna. “Those around President Tinubu in Kaduna are not telling him the truth. They want him to fail in the state,” he added, accusing unnamed party figures of manipulating internal processes.
Zailani maintained that he remains committed to supporting President Tinubu’s administration but cautioned that the current political configuration within the Kaduna APC could weaken the party’s performance if not addressed. He said unresolved grievances arising from the primaries had already been escalated through formal petitions submitted to both state and national party leadership.
According to him, dissatisfaction over the conduct of the primaries reflects deeper structural issues within the party’s state leadership. He insisted that aspirants were sidelined through what he described as predetermined arrangements that favoured selected candidates ahead of internal competition.
“They are surrounding the president with people who cannot deliver votes for him. We know who they are, and what they are doing will not end well,” he said, suggesting that the party risked electoral setbacks if corrective steps were not taken before the next election cycle.
Although Zailani did not directly mention Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, his remarks were widely interpreted as a veiled criticism of the current APC leadership structure in the state. The comments come amid ongoing political realignments within Kaduna politics following the 2023 general elections and subsequent party restructuring efforts.
He also referenced former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, stating that political leaders who act unjustly or marginalise others within party structures eventually face consequences. “God does not always wait until judgment day before punishing people. Sometimes, the consequences come immediately. Look at Nasir El-Rufai and where he is today,” Zailani said.
Political tensions within the Kaduna APC have remained visible in recent months, particularly following disputes over party primaries, appointments, and emerging factions aligned with different political blocs. Analysts say such internal disagreements could influence the party’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 elections if not managed through reconciliation efforts.
As of Saturday, May 30, 2026, neither the Kaduna State APC leadership nor the state government had issued an official response to Zailani’s remarks. However, party insiders say efforts to manage internal grievances are ongoing as part of broader preparations for future electoral contests.
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