Disquiet In Katsina APC Over Consensus, Imposition

Tension is brewing in the Katsina State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over consensus and widespread allegation of imposition of candidates with some members accusing Governor Dikko Umar Radda of working to undermine President Tinubu and the party.

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It would be recalled that no fewer than seven members of the House of Representatives and one senator have had their return bid scuttled by a consensus committee.

The members said the decision of the consensus committee which they alleged was merely the bidding of the governor, has put the party in crisis.

One of the constituencies facing backlash within the APC is Mani/Bindawa Federal Constituency. The current member, Ahmed Yusuf Doro, hails from Bindawa local government area, while the other four contestants, including the immediate past member, Aminu Ashiru Mani; Haj. Jamila Audu Mani; Lawal Tukur Tsagem and Ahmed Sale Jnr, are from Mani LGA.

The trouble began when one of the aspirants, Ahmed Sale Jnr was unveiled as the consensus candidate on April 28, 2026, a day before the April 29 date scheduled for meeting by the consensus committee.

Supporters of the current member, Ahmed Doro claimed that Governor Radda is obsessed with removing the current member, a young politician in his 30s, for reasons known only to him.

They alleged that the governor instructed his media aides to announce Ahmed Jnr as the consensus candidate and directed the chairman of the stakeholders’ committee of Mani LGA to unite the local government behind his chosen candidate.

According to them, the Governor’s directive was in spite of the fact that all the critical stakeholders in Bindawa LGA were solidly behind the incumbent member, who is seen as capable of ensuring victory for the party.

One of Governor Radda’s aides who dismissed the allegations said the exercise was handled entirely by the consensus committee made up of respectable individuals who did their work without external influence.

However, a supporter of Hon Doro told our correspondent that the chairman of the consensus committee, the immediate past Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa declared that the Governor had informed the committee of his choice of Ahmed Sale Jnr.

“When some aspirants and their supporters protested and left the venue to lodge a complaint at the Governor’s house, they met with the Governor and raised concerns about his chosen candidate, including alleged credential issues and other accusations.

” During the meeting, the aspirants suggested allowing the current member to continue, noting that Mani LGA had enjoyed the position for 10 good years through Hon. Aminu Ashiru Mani before Hon. Ahmed Doro from Bindawa emerged in 2023. Therefore, in the interest of fairness and justice, they argued, Bindawa should be allowed to retain the seat through the incumbent for another four years.

“However, the Governor insisted he had already zoned the ticket to Mani and directed them to present a new candidate from the LGA. He subsequently instructed his media aides to announce that the consensus for Mani/Bindawa Constituency was inconclusive and set April 30, 2026, as the new date to finalize the process”he added.

Insiders revealed that immediately after the meeting, the Governor instructed the Bindawa LGA chairman to rally critical stakeholders from Bindawa behind the candidature of Haj. Jamila Audu Mani, a decision that did not sit well with Bindawa stakeholders, many of whom decided to stay away from the entire exercise.

On the morning of April 30, 2026, supporters of the earlier announced consensus candidate, Hon. Ahmed Sale Jnr, were denied access to the venue. In response, Ahmed Sale Jnr allegedly displayed a pistol and threatened one of the police officers guarding the venue, leading to a video that went viral on social media. Consequently, the meeting could not hold and was suspended.

Two days later, Haj. Jamila Audu Mani was pronounced the consensus candidate and handed the nomination form at the Government House.

There are concerns that the situation will likely end in direct primaries or settled by the presidential committee tasked with resolving such disputes headed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and Alh. Ibrahim Kabir Masari, the senior special advisor to the president on political matters.

Although the current member, Ahmed Doro could not be reached for response, a member of the stakeholders’ committee described the scenario as sheer excesses by the Governor noting that such actions are directly affecting the party’s fortunes.