By Muslimat Itopa
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially commenced preparations for the 2027 House of Representatives primary elections in Kogi State with the distribution of election result sheets and sensitive materials to returning officers across the state’s federal constituencies at the state party Secretariat in Lokoja on Friday 15th of May 2026
The exercise was supervised by the Chairman of the Electoral Committee from the party’s National Headquarters in Abuja, Alhaji Lawal Sumaila Abdullahi, who reaffirmed the party’s commitment to conducting a transparent, credible, and peaceful primary election process.
Speaking during the distribution of the materials, Abdullahi stated that the responsibility of the committee goes beyond mere supervision of the exercise, stressing that fairness, justice, and transparency remain the guiding principles of the assignment.
According to him, the APC National Headquarters had mandated the committee to ensure that all stakeholders understand the process and work together in harmony to achieve a consensus-driven and peaceful outcome.
“Our role is not just to conduct elections, but to ensure that the right things are done with fairness, transparency, and justice. We have been directed by the National Headquarters to create an atmosphere where party members can understand themselves and work together peacefully,” he said.
He commended the efforts of the local organizing committee under the leadership of the Kogi State APC Chairman, Engineer Ezzu Aliyu Momoh, noting that the structures already put in place by the state leadership would ease the conduct of the primaries.
Abdullahi expressed confidence in the integrity and competence of the returning officers selected for the assignment, describing their appointment as a mark of trust and confidence reposed in them by the party leadership.
“You were chosen based on trust, integrity, and competence. These are qualities money cannot buy. You have earned the confidence of the party, and I believe you will not disappoint. Ensure that you carry out your responsibilities honestly and transparently,” he charged.
The committee chairman disclosed that Kogi State has a total of 239 wards spread across its local government areas, explaining that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure smooth coordination and logistics during the exercise.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration with local government councils and security agencies to guarantee safety and orderliness throughout the primaries.
“We need the cooperation of local government authorities and security agencies to provide the necessary support, including logistics where required, so that the process can be completed successfully across all wards,” he added.
Abdullahi further warned against the use of unauthorized membership registers, insisting that only registers certified by the APC National Headquarters would be accepted for the elections.
“We are providing you with authenticated registers approved by the National Headquarters. Any other register outside the official one is null and void. Nobody should use photocopied or manipulated documents to cause confusion,” he warned.
He urged party officials and delegates to protect the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that only duly registered members participate in the primaries.
The APC electoral committee chairman explained that the exercise would determine candidates who would eventually emerge as the party’s flagbearers for the nine federal constituencies in Kogi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He assured party members that the process would be transparent and free from manipulation, stressing that all results would be properly documented, signed, and returned to the committee for final collation and declaration.
“There will be no irregularities or manipulation. Whatever results are produced at the wards will be reflected in the final declaration. We expect credible winners to emerge from the nine federal constituencies,” he stated.
Abdullahi concluded by expressing optimism that the returning officers would conduct themselves responsibly, noting that the APC leadership had confidence in their ability to deliver a peaceful and credible primary election in the state.
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