Bauchi APC lawmakers defect to PRP after disputed primaries

A wave of high-profile resignations has struck the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi State following the party’s recent primaries, with two senators and multiple federal and state lawmakers defecting to the opposition Peoples Redemption Party. The exodus centers on widespread allegations that the primary election process was undemocratic and involved the imposition of candidates.

Senator Shehu Buba Umar, representing Bauchi South, and Senator Samaila Dahuwa, representing Bauchi North, formally announced their departures from the APC and their new membership in the PRP. Both had been unsuccessful in securing the APC’s nominations for their desired offices. Senator Buba, a leading contender, withdrew from the governorship primary just before it was held, citing alleged violations of party rules and a compromised process. He has since been named the PRP’s consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 election. Senator Dahuwa defected after indications he would not receive the party’s ticket to seek re-election to the Senate; he is now the PRP’s candidate for Bauchi North.

In statements, the defectors uniformly criticized the APC’s internal processes. Senator Buba cited an absence...