Table of Contents
Stakeholders have warned against any move to overturn the Taraba APC primary result, urging the party’s leadership to respect the outcome of the senatorial contest. The appeal came in a statement from party figures in the Taraba North Senatorial District as the dispute over the result drags on.
Their intervention reflects rising tension within the state chapter, where the official winner of the primary has yet to be formally declared by the national body.
What stakeholders said about the Taraba APC primary
In the statement, party chieftains including Abubakar Umar Ibrahim and Bilal Galadima cautioned against tampering with the result. They warned that “any attempt to alter, manipulate, or subvert this duly declared mandate” would erode public confidence in the party.
The stakeholders threw their weight behind one of the contenders, Bello, insisting that the votes cast at the primary should stand. Their message was directed at the APC’s national leadership, which holds the final say on which result is recognised.
A contested result
The senatorial primary was held in May, and the outcome is contested between the camps of Bello and Senator Isa Lau. Because the national body has not yet announced an official winner, both sides continue to press their case, leaving the seat’s nomination unresolved.
Disputes of this kind often hinge on competing claims about delegate lists, accreditation and the conduct of the exercise. Viorah TV reports the rival positions without endorsing either, as the facts of the primary remain in contention.
Wider tension in Taraba APC
The senatorial fight sits within a broader run of disputes inside the Taraba APC. A separate disagreement over the party’s governorship primary has also surfaced, with senior figures calling for intervention from the top of the party to calm the situation.
Such internal friction is common in the period after primaries, when losing aspirants weigh appeals and party organs work through complaints. How the APC manages these grievances will shape its cohesion in the state heading into the next general election.
Why it matters
Primaries set the foundation for a party’s general-election campaign, and unresolved disputes can spill into the courts or trigger defections. A contested ticket weakens a candidate before the real contest begins, which is why stakeholders are pressing for a clean, respected outcome.
How primary disputes unfold
In Nigeria, contested primaries often move through several layers of party appeals before any final decision is reached. Aggrieved aspirants can petition party organs, and if dissatisfied, may head to court, where judges have sometimes ordered parties to recognise particular candidates. That possibility is precisely what the Taraba stakeholders appear keen to forestall.
The national leadership’s silence on an official winner leaves room for speculation and lobbying from both camps. Until a clear pronouncement is made, the dispute will continue to generate statements, counter-statements and pressure from interest groups within the state chapter.
For the APC, managing the disagreement cleanly matters because a fractured ticket can hand an advantage to rivals in the general election. Parties that emerge from primaries divided often struggle to mobilise fully, making the resolution of such disputes a test of internal discipline and fairness.
For now, the Taraba APC primary remains unsettled, with stakeholders urging restraint and the national leadership yet to pronounce a winner. Viorah TV will continue to follow the matter, reporting developments as they are confirmed and keeping its coverage balanced for all sides involved.
