Following their attendance at a Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front stakeholders meeting on November 11, three leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State have appealed their suspension from the party to the State High Court in Gusau.
Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi, the APC chairman of Shinkafi South Ward, Kabiru Ibrahim, the welfare secretary of the APC Shinkafi Local Government, and Ibrahim DD Kurya, the local government’s advocate for people with disabilities, filed the lawsuit.
They are suing Alhaji Tukur Danfulani Maikatako Gusau, the APC Chairman of Zamfara State, and Alhaji Ibrahim Bama Shinkafi, the APC Chairman of Shinkafi Local Government.
The suspended party leaders are requesting that the court determine that any attempt to suspend, expel, intimidate, harass, or terminate their membership is “unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, null and void” and proclaim them to be legitimate members of the APC.
Yushau Abdullahi Mada, the chairman of the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, stated in a statement that the plaintiffs are also requesting:
a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants or their representatives from taking any more actions to harass, suspend, or expel them.
a directive to maintain the status quo and to stop all activities pertaining to their suspension while the issue is being decided.
The resentful executives claimed that their terms were still in effect and that they were legitimately elected during the APC congresses in 2022.
They identified as devoted supporters of Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, the head of the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front.
They claimed that, in contravention of the APC constitution, Ibrahim Bama Shinkafi, the chairman of the Shinkafi Local Government APC, verbally suspended them without providing them with a written inquiry, a valid explanation, or a chance to defend themselves.
They said that all internal attempts to end the suspension had failed, forcing them to turn to the courts for help.
On November 14, 2025, Bello Idris Galadi and Associates filed their lawsuit.
Mada pointed out that after the Peoples Democratic Party defeated the Zamfara APC in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections, the party has continued to be in disarray.
He attributed recurrent crises to the marginalization of party leaders, the imposition of candidates, and arbitrary suspensions and expulsions.
He said that in order to discuss unresolved issues, party stakeholders convened on November 1 at Talata Mafara, the rural residence of former governor and Zamfara APC leader Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari. Party elders, as well as representatives from the state, local, and ward governments, attended the meeting.
“The meeting unanimously decided to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election,” he declared. In accordance with the Electoral Act 2022, INEC rules and regulations, and APC electoral standards, it also decided that the party would not force any candidates for elections and guaranteed free, fair, and credible congresses and primaries for all candidates.
However, stakeholders supported the consensus option, in which delegates would elect the nominee by affirmation if all candidates voluntarily resigned in favor of a specific candidate.
In light of this, on November 11, 2025, the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, a group founded by former All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) national secretary and governorship candidate in Zamfara State, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, a current APC chieftain with structures throughout the state’s 14 local government areas, 147 electoral wards, and all polling places, held a stakeholders meeting where it unanimously adopted Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari as the APC leader in Zamfara State, and opposed the imposition of candidates in subsequent elections, which caused the PDP to defeat the party in the 2019 and 2023 gubernatorial polls.
In order to strengthen the party in the state, it is clear that the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front has been leading the way in inclusive politics in Zamfara State alongside President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Elections cannot be won by a fragmented party, as demonstrated by the Zamfara State APC.
“We were shocked to learn that some members of the party loyal to Wamban Shinkafi, including Sirajo Yusuf Wali, Birnin Yero Ward Publicity Secretary, Hon. Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi, Chairman Shinkafi Ward, Kabiru Ibrahim, Welfare Secretary, Shinkafi Local Government, and Ibrahim DD Kurya, representing People With Disabilities (PWD), were arbitrarily suspended without following the party constitution.”
“It is unfair to penalize other party members for showing up to a stakeholder meeting that the party has duly called for its advancement.
“The alleged suspension was ordered by Tukur Umar Danfulani Maikatako Gusau, the chairman of the Zamfara State APC, who was instructed by Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defense, who also called a stakeholders meeting where Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was chosen as the consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
“Our members who were wrongfully suspended must seek justice from the court, which is the last resort for all those who have been wronged.
The Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front is steadfast in its support of democracy, the rule of law, due process, and the triumph of the APC in upcoming elections in Zamfara State. The actions of critics and regressive forces that are detrimental to our wonderful party will not divert us.
“Staying action and waiting for a court of competent jurisdiction to decide the matter is in the best interests of justice for all parties involved in the lawsuit.”
“For this reason, we implore party members to unite and cooperate in order to create a more powerful and dynamic APC and prosperous Zamfara State.”
