Hon. Isa Nathaniel JP, Coordinator of the campaign organisation for Rtd IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has petitioned the APC National Executive Committee over what he described as orchestrated plans to disenfranchise party members in Nasarawa State by individuals desperate to hijack power at all costs.
In the petition titled “Immediate Intervention to Halt the Unauthorised Alteration of Party Membership and Electoral Rules in Nasarawa State,” Nathaniel said the intervention of the National Secretariat had become inevitable given the blatant disregard for the rule of law and breaches of both the party’s constitution and the Nigerian constitution.
Nathaniel, an APC member from Nunku Ward, Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa State, raised concerns over escalating developments within the party in the state, particularly regarding the ongoing membership card distribution and attempts to unilaterally manipulate membership processes and electoral guidelines ahead of the primary election scheduled for 13th May 2026.
“It is totally unacceptable that the state chapter of the party has reportedly announced that only stamped and signed membership cards issued to registered members will be allowed to vote or participate in the forthcoming primary election,” he said.
“This directive, if accurately represented, raises serious constitutional and procedural concerns, as it appears to introduce unilateral conditions that were neither issued nor approved by the National Secretariat. Such a development is capable of disenfranchising genuine party members and undermining the credibility of the entire internal democratic process.”
Nathaniel said recent events during the official membership card presentation in Nasarawa State, where State Chairman Dr. Aliyu Aminu Bello made remarks and supervised actions that have generated widespread concern, necessitate urgent intervention.
“It has become increasingly apparent that certain actions and interpretations at the state level are creating the impression of an attempt to assume powers that constitutionally reside with the National Secretariat,” he said.
“Of particular concern is the perception that membership inclusion, exclusion, and political participation within the party are being influenced through selective administrative practices rather than established national guidelines.
“Let it be clearly stated that such developments, if not urgently addressed, pose a serious threat to internal democracy, party cohesion, and constitutional order within the APC.
“The All Progressives Congress is a national political organisation governed by a defined constitution and structured internal regulations. The authority to issue, regulate, and supervise membership and electoral guidelines rests exclusively with the National Secretariat. No state chapter, regardless of leadership position or political influence, is empowered to independently alter, reinterpret, or enforce guidelines outside the framework approved at the national level.
“Reports from grassroots members indicate growing dissatisfaction over perceived selective participation in the membership process, with fears that loyal party members are being sidelined or politically disadvantaged through administrative discretion.
“Such tendencies, if left unchecked, risk eroding trust in the party’s internal processes, deepening factional divisions, and weakening the APC’s organisational strength ahead of critical electoral engagements.
“The APC cannot afford to allow internal structures to be personalised or manipulated in a manner that compromises fairness, transparency, and inclusivity. Party membership must remain a right governed by clear and uniform rules, not a privilege determined by individual or sectional discretion.”
To prevent what he described as a total breakdown of law and order, Nathaniel urged the National Secretariat to reaffirm in clear and unambiguous terms its exclusive constitutional authority over all membership and electoral guidelines.
He also sought a directive prohibiting any state chapter from independently modifying, interpreting, or implementing membership or electoral procedures outside approved national frameworks.
This is just as he demanded for a review of the ongoing membership card distribution exercise in Nasarawa State to ensure compliance with established party rules.
Of particular concern, he said is the need to investigate credible allegations of selective registration, exclusion, and manipulation of membership records in the state even as he stated that disciplinary action should be enforced against any official found to have acted in violation of the party constitution and national directives.
“The integrity of the APC depends not only on its electoral strength but also on the credibility of its internal democratic processes,” he stressed.
“Any tolerance of procedural irregularities at the state level risks setting a dangerous precedent that could undermine the party nationwide,” he warned.
He urged the National Secretariat to act swiftly and decisively. “Delay or silence at this critical stage may be interpreted as acceptance of actions that contravene the spirit and letter of the party’s constitution. I remain loyal to the ideals, unity, and progress of the APC. However, loyalty must never be mistaken for silence in the face of institutional distortion.”