A coalition of youth groups, women organisations and grassroots mobilisers within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has threatened mass defection from the party following the withdrawal of Senator Shehu Buba Umar from the APC governorship primary.
The coalition warned that the party risks a major political setback in Toro LGA if urgent steps are not taken to address grievances among party loyalists, reports The Nation.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Bauchi today, the coalition leader, Safiyanu Muhammad Tama, said the warning followed extensive consultations with party elders, youths, women groups and student bodies across the local government.
The coalition accused the Bauchi APC leadership of marginalising Toro LGA despite its long-standing electoral support for the party.
According to the group, Toro remains one of the strongest political bases of the APC in Bauchi State and possesses the second-highest voting strength after Bauchi LGA.
The coalition said the recent political developments involving Senator Shehu Buba and Dr Ibrahim Ali Usman had created widespread disappointment and uncertainty among party supporters in the area.
It noted that the withdrawal of Shehu Buba from the governorship race, alongside the denial of the senatorial ticket to Dr Ibrahim Ali Usman, had weakened the morale of APC supporters and created fears of possible defections to opposition parties.
“Despite our undeniable contribution and loyalty, it is heartbreaking that Toro LGA today appears politically abandoned, marginalised and neglected,” the group stated.
It added that youths and women in the area had consistently defended and promoted the APC during elections through grassroots mobilisation, campaigns and electoral support.
The group appealed to the president, the APC national leadership and the party’s national chairman to urgently intervene in the crisis before it escalates.
Among its demands were the immediate convening of reconciliation meetings with aggrieved stakeholders in Toro LGA, strategic engagement with Dr Ibrahim Ali Usman and other loyal party figures, and measures to prevent further defections from the party.
The coalition also called for stronger communication between the party leadership and grassroots supporters, as well as formal recognition of Toro LGA’s contributions to the growth of the APC in Bauchi State.
It added that the warning should not be seen as a rebellion but as a genuine effort to preserve the unity and electoral strength of the party in the state.
Recall that Senator Shehu Buba had earlier withdrawn from the APC governorship primary, alleging irregularities, lack of transparency and violations of the party’s guidelines and electoral laws in the conduct of the exercise.
Strong indications have emerged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State may adopt a consensus arrangement for its governorship primary following the postponement of the exercise for today, May, 22 2026.
The development is coming despite an earlier resolution by critical stakeholders of the party in the state supporting the direct primary option.
