Three Zamfara APC Leaders Drag State Chairman to Court Over ‘Illegal’ Suspension

Three leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State have filed a suit at the State High Court, Gusau, challenging their suspension from the party, describing it as “illegal, unconstitutional, and arbitrary.”

The suit was instituted by Hon. Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi, APC chairman of Shinkafi South Ward; Kabiru Ibrahim, APC Welfare Secretary, Shinkafi Local Government; and Ibrahim DD Kurya, representative of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Shinkafi Local Government.

They named the APC, Zamfara State Chairman Alhaji Tukur Danfulani Maikatako Gusau, and Shinkafi Local Government APC Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Bama Shinkafi as defendants.

The plaintiffs argued that their suspension followed their attendance at a stakeholders’ meeting of the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front on 11th November 2025 in Gusau, where they endorsed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the APC consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election and called for internal democracy within the party.

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The affected leaders are seeking a court declaration confirming them as bona fide members of the APC and a declaration that any action to suspend, expel, intimidate, or harass them is null and void. They also requested a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or anyone acting on their behalf from taking further disciplinary action against them.

The suit further seeks a court order maintaining the status quo pending the determination of the case.

According to the plaintiffs, their suspension was carried out orally by Alhaji Ibrahim Bama Shinkafi without just cause, proper notice, or opportunity to defend themselves. They also stressed that they were elected to their positions during the APC congress in 2022 and that their tenures are still valid.

The legal action comes amid lingering tensions within Zamfara APC, which has experienced internal crises following its defeats to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections. Analysts attribute the losses to candidate impositions, suspension of party leaders, and marginalization of key members.

Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, led by Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, a former APGA national secretary and governorship candidate, has been at the forefront of promoting inclusive politics in Zamfara. The group’s November 11 stakeholders’ meeting endorsed Tinubu as the APC consensus presidential candidate and opposed the imposition of candidates in future elections.

In a statement, the Front urged party members to remain united and committed to the party’s success, emphasizing that the court is the proper avenue for resolving disputes and maintaining the rule of law.