Three officials of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State have taken their state chairman, Tukur Danfulani, to the State High Court in Gusau after they were suspended from the party. The case began after the officials claimed that the suspension was carried out without due process and without giving them a chance to defend themselves. Their complaint was made public through a statement released in Abuja on Sunday.
The suspended members are Babangida Shinkafi, the APC Chairman of Shinkafi South Ward; Kabiru Ibrahim, the Welfare Secretary; and Ibrahim Kurya, the representative of Persons with Disabilities in the council. They were suspended shortly after attending a stakeholders’ meeting on November 11, which was organised by the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, a political group aligned with Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi. The state party leadership viewed their presence at the meeting as an act against the party’s interest.
According to the suspended officials, the action against them was announced verbally by the Shinkafi Local Government Chairman, Ibrahim Bama. They said there was no written notice, no allegation shared with them, and no chance to respond before the decision was taken. They maintained that attending a meeting meant to discuss party affairs should not be treated as wrongdoing.
In the suit filed on November 14, the officials urged the court to confirm that they remain full members of the APC and to rule that any attempt to suspend, intimidate or expel them is invalid. They also requested an order stopping the state chairman and other party officials from taking further steps against them until the court decides the matter. They stated that they were elected during the 2022 congresses and still have an active mandate.
The situation has added to the ongoing internal tension within the Zamfara APC. The party has faced internal battles for years, especially after losing the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections. Many stakeholders have linked the losses to internal conflicts, factions and disagreements over candidates.
Just weeks before the legal action, APC leaders met in Talata Mafara under the guidance of former governor Abdul’aziz Yari. At the meeting, they gave their support to President Bola Tinubu as the preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential race and promised to ensure a fair process in the next primaries. Another meeting organised by the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front on November 11 also supported Tinubu and backed Yari as the leader of the party in the state. This meeting is believed to have triggered the latest dispute within the party.