Shinkafi Petitions Defence Minister, Seeks Probe Of Military Officers Over Zamfara APC Primary
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former senatorial aspirant, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has petitioned the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), demanding an investigation into the alleged involvement of serving military personnel in the party’s Zamfara North senatorial rerun primary held on November 2, 2026.
Shinkafi accused Lieutenant Commander Salisu Abdulrahman Umar, Chief Security Officer to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and other military personnel of allegedly participating in partisan political activities, manipulating election results and intimidating party members during the exercise.
In the petition, submitted through his lawyer, Salihu Y. Aliyu of YAS Law Firm, Shinkafi alleged that the military personnel acted in collaboration with members of the APC primary election committee to manipulate the outcome of the exercise.
The petition, dated November 9 and acknowledged on November 10, 2026, specifically accused Lieutenant Commander Umar of allegedly conspiring with political actors to produce and falsify 42 ward result sheets and the senatorial district result sheet across Shinkafi, Zurmi, Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas.
Shinkafi further alleged that the officer mobilised military personnel, armoured vehicles and gun trucks to disrupt the exercise and intimidate voters, despite allegedly not being listed in the Zamfara State Police Command’s Operation Order No. 29/DOPS/2026 for the rerun primary.
He also accused the military personnel of interfering in the internal affairs of the APC, describing their alleged involvement as professional misconduct and a violation of military regulations governing the political neutrality of serving personnel.
The petition followed the November 2 rerun primary ordered by the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, after the earlier APC primary conducted on May 28, 2026, was nullified by the Federal High Court in Gusau and the Court of Appeal.
According to Shinkafi, the November 2 exercise was allegedly characterised by irregularities, including the absence of official voting materials at designated centres and the subsequent production of purported ward and senatorial district result sheets.
He maintained that the alleged actions undermined the court ordered rerun and denied APC members in Zamfara North the opportunity to freely determine their preferred candidate.
Citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Armed Forces Act and other military regulations, Shinkafi argued that serving military personnel are required to remain politically neutral and must not participate in partisan political activities.
He urged the Defence Minister to direct an immediate investigation by the Military Police and Defence Intelligence Agency into the allegations against Lieutenant Commander Umar and other personnel allegedly involved in the incident.
He also requested that any officer found culpable be subjected to appropriate disciplinary proceedings, including court martial where warranted, and that the principal officer be interdicted pending the outcome of the investigation.
The petition reportedly included copies of the disputed ward and senatorial district result sheets, the police operational order and video and photographic materials which Shinkafi said supported his allegations.
Shinkafi called on the military authorities to ensure that serving personnel do not use their positions or official resources to influence partisan political activities, stressing that the Armed Forces must remain professional and politically neutral.
He also urged the military leadership to take appropriate action if the allegations were established, arguing that accountability would help protect the reputation of the Armed Forces and public confidence in democratic institutions.
