Yobe APC Opts for Consensus Primaries, Backs Tinubu for Second Term

Abubakar Musa, Damaturu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State has resolved to adopt a consensus approach for selecting its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

This decision was disclosed by Ahmed Lawan while addressing journalists after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Damaturu on Thursday.

According to him, the consensus method will be applied across all elective positions in the state, including governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly primaries.

“Our party has carefully reviewed the options provided under the Electoral Act, and we have agreed to proceed with consensus as our preferred method,” Lawan said. “This approach has consistently served us well in Yobe, promoting unity and reducing internal friction.”

He expressed confidence that aspirants who may not emerge through the process would align with the party’s collective decision, noting that internal structures exist to engage and reconcile all stakeholders.

Lawan also assured that the party was working towards a strong electoral outing in 2027, projecting millions of votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside victories for APC candidates contesting legislative seats.

Earlier at the meeting, party leaders unanimously endorsed Tinubu as their candidate for a second term, reaffirming their loyalty to the administration.

In his remarks, Governor Mai Mala Buni said Yobe had recorded significant gains under the current federal leadership, citing ongoing development projects and policy interventions as evidence of progress.

The meeting drew key party figures from across the state, signaling early efforts by the APC to consolidate its base ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Alleged APC Card Seizure Sparks Tension Ahead of Yobe Governorship Primaries

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

Tension is mounting within the Yobe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following allegations that party officials are forcibly collecting members’ registration cards ahead of the upcoming governorship primaries in Damaturu.

The claims were made by a group, Yobe State Concerned Citizens (YSCC), which warned that the development could undermine internal democracy and disenfranchise delegates expected to participate in the exercise.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Damaturu, the group’s coordinator, Musa Ali Baba, alleged that the ongoing collection of membership cards was part of a broader scheme to influence the outcome of the primaries.

“We received disturbing reports that the APC leadership in Yobe is currently forcing members to surrender their registration cards,” Mr Baba said.

He added that the situation is unfolding barely days before the primaries scheduled for the end of April, raising concerns about transparency in the selection process.

Mr Baba further alleged that some party leaders had earlier attempted to promote a preferred governorship aspirant without conducting primaries, a move he said was resisted by party members and other aspirants.

According to him, the alleged seizure of membership cards—particularly from grassroots members—has triggered widespread concern across the state’s 17 local government areas.

He warned that the move could be a strategy to restrict participation in the primaries to a select group of loyalists, especially if the party adopts a direct primary system.

“If this suspicion proves true, it would amount to outright electoral manipulation, denying party members the right to freely choose their candidate,” he said.

The group called on the APC’s national leadership to intervene and halt the alleged practice, while urging members not to surrender their cards.

It also threatened legal action against anyone found confiscating membership cards from party members.

However, the APC in Yobe has denied the allegations.

The party’s State Youth Leader, Musa Muhammad Gulani, described the claims as false and politically motivated.

“No directive has been issued for the collection of membership cards from any APC member in Yobe State,” Mr Gulani said.

He accused unnamed individuals of attempting to create tension within the party and mislead the public.

Mr Gulani reaffirmed the party’s commitment to conducting a transparent and credible governorship primary, urging members and the public to disregard what he described as baseless allegations.

Police Bust Phone-Snatching Ring in Damaturu, Arrest Seven Suspects

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu 

The Yobe State Police Command says it has arrested seven suspects linked to a string of burglary and phone-snatching incidents in Damaturu, the state capital.

The police said the arrests followed a coordinated operation targeting criminal activities in Nayinawa, Bindigari, One Million Road and Pompomari communities.

In a statement on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, said operatives of ‘A’ Division carried out the operation between April 16 and 19, leading to the dismantling of a suspected criminal syndicate.

“In a coordinated operation carried out by operatives of ‘A’ Division, Damaturu, a notorious criminal syndicate operating within the affected communities was successfully dismantled,” Mr Abdulkarim said.

He identified the suspects as Usman Mohammed (20), Abubakar Adamu (20), Mohammed Ibrahim (22), Mohd Goni (19), Khalifa Mohammed (19), Abubakar Mohammed (19), and Ali Mohammed (23).

The police spokesperson said the suspects confessed during interrogation to their involvement in multiple cases of burglary, theft and phone snatching across the affected areas.

“They admitted to stealing seven Android phones and two keypad phones. Six of the stolen phones have already been recovered,” he added.

Mr Abdulkarim said investigations are ongoing and that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, commended the operatives for their efforts and professionalism.

He directed sustained operations against criminal hideouts across the state and emphasised the need for intelligence-led policing.

The police also urged residents to support security agencies with credible information to strengthen ongoing efforts to tackle crime.