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 petitioned the State High Court in Gusau to contest their suspension from the organization.
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 spokesperson for people with disabilities, filed the lawsuit.
They are suing Alhaji Ibrahim Bama Shinkafi, the APC Chairman of Shinkafi Local Government, and Alhaji Tukur Danfulani Maikatako Gusau, the APC Chairman of Zamfara State.
In addition to declaring that any attempt to suspend, expel, intimidate, harass, or terminate their membership is “unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, null and void,” the suspended party leaders are requesting that the court recognize them 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 looking for:
a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants or their representatives from taking any other action to harass, expel, or suspend them.
an order requiring the status quo to be maintained and stopping any activity pertaining to their suspension while the case is being decided.
The resentful executives claimed that their terms were still in effect and that they were legitimately elected at the 2022 APC conferences.
They identified as devoted followers of Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front leader Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi.
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 assistance.
The lawsuit was submitted by Bello Idris Galadi and Associates on November 14, 2025.
Mada pointed out that since the Peoples Democratic Party defeated the Zamfara APC in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections, the party has been in disarray.
He attributed recurrent problems to the imposition of candidates, arbitrary suspensions, expulsions, and party leaders’ marginalization.
In order to discuss unresolved matters, he said, party stakeholders convened on November 1 at Talata Mafara, the rural residence of former governor and Zamfara APC leader Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari. Ward executives, state and local government representatives, and party elders attended the gathering.
“The meeting unanimously resolved to endorse Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election,” he stated. In accordance with the Electoral Act 2022, INEC rules and regulations, and APC electoral principles, it also decided that the party will not impose any candidates for elections and promised free, fair, and credible congresses and primaries for all candidates.
However, stakeholders supported the consensus option, in which delegates would elect the candidate by affirmation if all candidates voluntarily resigned in favor of a single 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.
In order to bolster the party in the state, it is clear that the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front has been at the forefront of inclusive politics in Zamfara State alongside President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Elections cannot be won by a split party, as the Zamfara State APC has shown.
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 stakeholders 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 stakeholder meeting where Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was chosen as the consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election.”
“As the temple of justice and the last hope for all those who have been wronged, our members who were wrongfully suspended must go to court to seek redress.”
“Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front is steadfast in its support of democracy, due process, the rule of law, and the APC’s victory in upcoming elections in Zamfara State.” The actions of critics and regressive forces that are detrimental to our great party will not divert our attention.
“Staying proceedings 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 complaint.
“For this reason, we implore party members to unite and cooperate in order to create a more robust and dynamic APC and a prosperous Zamfara State.”
