A fresh twist has emerged in the internal political contest within Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, after the party overturned the earlier outcome of its Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam House of Representatives primary election in Plateau State.

The APC officially declared Yusuf Gagdi as the valid winner of the primary, reversing a previous announcement that had named John Tongshinen victorious.

The dramatic reversal was announced at the APC State Secretariat in Jos by Stella Okotete, who insisted that the earlier declaration was unconstitutional and unauthorized.

According to Okotete, only the officially appointed returning officer had the legal authority to announce results from the primary election. She identified Nandom Kura as the sole official empowered to declare the outcome.

Okotete stated that any prior announcement made outside Kura’s authority was invalid and should be ignored by party members and the public.

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Following the clarification from the party leadership, Kura formally announced Gagdi as the winner of the APC primary conducted across the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency on Saturday.

The development overturned an earlier declaration made on Sunday in Pankshin, where one Monday Daspan had announced Tongshinen as the winner.

Daspan claimed Tongshinen secured 29,968 votes, while Gagdi polled 5,849 votes. He further asserted that the exercise was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies.

However, the APC leadership later distanced itself from Daspan’s announcement, saying he lacked the constitutional authority to release official results.

Gagdi Rejects Earlier Outcome

Reacting after being confirmed as the authentic winner, Gagdi maintained that the primary election was properly conducted across all 36 electoral wards within the constituency.

The lawmaker, who currently chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Navy, said there was sufficient evidence to validate the process, including accreditation documents, photographs, and video recordings from the exercise.

Gagdi argued that party guidelines clearly assign the responsibility of appointing election officials to the electoral committee, making any declaration outside that framework null and void.

He described the earlier announcement as fraudulent and insisted the individual responsible was neither appointed by the committee nor recognized by the party structure.

Political Tension Rises Ahead of 2027 Elections

The reversal triggered celebrations in parts of Kanam and Pankshin shortly after the corrected result was announced, highlighting the political importance of the constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam federal seat remains one of the most closely watched political battlegrounds in Plateau State, especially within the APC, where internal rivalry continues to shape early campaign alignments.

Gagdi, who currently represents the constituency in the Green Chamber, is seeking another term under the APC platform. Political observers believe the controversy surrounding the primary could influence party unity in the state as preparations intensify for the next electoral cycle.

While the APC has now recognized Gagdi as its legitimate candidate, attention may shift toward whether aggrieved supporters of Tongshinen will accept the party’s final decision or pursue further political or legal action.

The incident once again underscores the growing internal struggles within major political parties in Nigeria as aspirants position themselves for strategic offices ahead of 2027.