Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Abubakar Bashir (also known as Engr. Abubakar Bashir Sadeeq), the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency in Adamawa State, has raised a serious alarm over an alleged plot to alter the results of the party’s House of Representatives primary election. The controversy erupted after the emergence of a purported list circulating online which, according to Bashir’s campaign council, indicated that another aspirant – who scored the lowest number of votes – is being considered for submission to the party’s national headquarters as the winner. The development comes barely two weeks after the ADC conducted its nationwide direct primary across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to select candidates for various elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the official results announced by party electoral officials on May 27, 2026, Bashir secured 33,931 votes, defeating six other aspirants in the contest. The breakdown of the results showed Zayyad Ayuba Tumba coming a distant second with 16,266 votes, while Yusuf Garba polled 14,611 votes. However, the campaign council claimed that the circulating list suggests that another aspirant, who was one of the lowest-scoring candidates, had been forwarded to the party’s national headquarters as the winner. In a statement issued on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, by Mohammed Daud Kachalla on behalf of the campaign council, the development was described as a deliberate attempt to subvert the will of ADC members across the constituency. “It has come to our shock and dismay that a purported list currently circulating online suggests that another aspirant, who scored the lowest number of votes during the primary election, was submitted to the National Headquarters as the winner of the election,” the statement read. The campaign insisted that Bashir’s victory was clear and overwhelming, warning that any attempt to alter the outcome would undermine internal party democracy and disenfranchise party members.
In a separate interview, Bashir Abubakar (identified as Bashir Abubakar in some reports) said his name was being replaced with that of Abubakar Babazango, a serving member of the House of Representatives who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ADC after failing to secure the APC ticket. According to the official results, Bashir polled 33,931 votes, while Babazango finished seventh with just 4,359 votes. “I can confirm that my name has been replaced with that of someone who came a distant seventh in the primary. This is contrary to the principles the party claims to uphold,” Bashir said. He noted that aspirants had purchased nomination forms and campaigned across the 33 wards of the constituency in good faith, only to be confronted with reports that the outcome of the primary had been altered. “If there was a preferred candidate, the party should not have subjected us to the process and expenses of participating in the primary election,” he added. Bashir disclosed that he had visited the party’s national secretariat and subsequently submitted a formal petition to the leadership, urging it to uphold the results of the primary election.
Reacting to the allegations, the ADC national spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed claims of a plot to alter the primary election results. In an interview with TheCable, Abdullahi challenged the aspirant to name the party leaders involved in the alleged manipulation. “If such an incident happened, he should mention the names of the leaders involved. Is it the ADC national chairman or the ADC Adamawa chairman? Who are the people making the attempts?” Abdullahi said. He added that the party had not issued any results different from the official ones already announced. However, the party’s national leadership is yet to officially respond to the substance of Bashir’s petition.
The crisis in the ADC’s Adamawa chapter adds to a growing list of internal disputes across the country following the party’s primaries. In other states, similar accusations of irregularities and name substitution have emerged, raising questions about the party’s ability to manage internal conflicts ahead of the 2027 elections. Bashir has vowed to pursue all legal and constitutional avenues to protect his mandate and has called on the ADC leadership at both state and national levels to uphold the declared results and preserve the integrity of the party’s nomination process. Supporters have been urged to remain calm and law-abiding while efforts are made to resolve the dispute.
As of the time of filing this report, the ADC has not issued an official statement addressing the specific allegations of name substitution in the Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency. The controversy is expected to heighten tensions within the party as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
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