However, the party’s claim that it had already achieved a "consensus" in selecting its leaders in Zamfara has been met with fierce resistance and outright denial from local party officials. The Spectacles, in an exclusive and detailed interview with Sayyadi Al'ameen Abubakar, the Deputy Secretary of the APC in Gusau Local Government, uncovered glaring discrepancies in the party’s narrative. Sayyadi, speaking with a mix of frustration and disbelief, confirmed that no election—direct, indirect, or consensus had taken place.
Sayyadi revealed that neither delegates, candidates, nor key stakeholders were consulted before an election committee from Abuja arrived and unilaterally declared a consensus. "There was no meeting, no discussion, no agreement," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "They simply sat down, wrote names, and announced winners as if this was a joke." The Spectacles pressed further, asking whether any formal reconciliation document, a mandatory requirement in such cases, had been signed. Sayyadi's response was emphatic: "Nothing was signed. No one was even called."
The Spectacles’ investigation found that this was not an isolated incident. Similar stories emerged from other local governments, where aspirants who had paid for nomination forms were deliberately sidelined. Many had deposited funds into the APC’s designated UBA and Zenith Bank accounts, only to be denied the forms by the state party leadership. Some candidates only realized an "election" had taken place when they saw the results published in the media. Others were shocked to witness the swearing-in of new leaders without any prior notice.
This mirrors the controversial tactics employed during the 2019 APC primaries in Zamfara, where then-Governor Abdulazeez Yari Abubakar was accused of imposing candidates. That decision led to the party’s disqualification from fielding candidates in the general election, a costly mistake that the APC appears to be repeating.
The Spectacles’ interview with Sayyadi was not just about exposing irregularities; it was about giving a voice to those silenced by the party’s high-handedness. His account paints a picture of a party that has abandoned internal democracy, opting instead for backroom deals that alienate its own members. The suspension of the congresses suggests that the APC leadership is aware of the brewing discontent but is unwilling to address the root causes.
If the party continues on this path, it risks another electoral disaster in Zamfara. The Spectacles’ reporting has already sparked reactions from concerned party members, civil society groups, and political analysts who warn that the APC’s credibility is at stake. Unless genuine reforms are made and unless the voices of grassroots members like Sayyadi are heard, the party may find itself facing another self-inflicted defeat.
