Kogi West APC Primary Crisis Deepens as Cdre Daniel Petitions National Chairman Over Alleged Result Manipulation
APC chieftain Commodore Michael Folusho Daniel (Rtd.) has petitioned the APC National Chairman over alleged manipulation of the Kogi West senatorial primary result, insisting Senator Sunday Karimi won the May 18, 2026 exercise.
Kogi West APC Primary Crisis Deepens as Cdre Daniel Petitions National Chairman Over Alleged Result Manipulation
Fresh controversy has continued to trail the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in Kogi West following a petition by a party chieftain and foundation member of the APC in the district, Commodore Michael Folusho Daniel (Rtd.), who called on the party’s national leadership to intervene over alleged manipulation of the exercise.
In an open letter addressed to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, dated May 28, 2026, Commodore Daniel urged the party leadership to constitute an independent fact-finding committee to investigate what he described as conflicting results that emerged after the May 18 primary election.
The petition, made available to journalists in Lokoja on Thursday, alleged that the process, which initially appeared peaceful and transparent across Kogi West Senatorial District, later degenerated into tension and division following the emergence of what he termed a contradictory result.
According to Daniel, the APC primary initially attracted about six or seven aspirants contesting for the Kogi West senatorial ticket. However, he said reports later emerged that some aspirants, including former Senator Smart Adeyemi and Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro, stepped down in support of Senator Sunday Karimi ahead of the exercise.
The retired naval officer noted that the development created optimism among party members that the primary would be conducted peacefully and without rancour.
He recalled that in Ward 06, Mopamuro Local Government Area, where he participated in the exercise, the process was orderly and largely dominated by supporters openly queueing behind Senator Karimi.
Daniel added that similar reports were received from other wards across the senatorial district, with preliminary indications pointing to what he described as a landslide victory for the incumbent senator.
He expressed surprise, however, that days after the exercise, another result surfaced in the media declaring Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro as the winner of the primary election.
“Shockingly, however, a few days later, an entirely different result surfaced in the media space declaring Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro as the winner of the primary election,” the petition read.
Daniel described the development as inconsistent with the realities witnessed by party members during the exercise, warning that the situation had already heightened political tension within the district and threatened ongoing reconciliation efforts among party stakeholders.
According to him, many APC members in Kogi West now perceive the outcome as manipulated, a development he warned could weaken the party’s internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections if not urgently addressed.
The APC stalwart appealed to the National Chairman to immediately intervene by setting up a credible investigative panel capable of establishing the authentic outcome of the primary election and restoring confidence among party faithful.
He maintained that Senator Sunday Karimi remained the rightful winner of the exercise based on what transpired across wards during the primary.
“Your prompt intervention at this critical moment will not only preserve the integrity and credibility of the APC, but will also reassure party faithful that justice, fairness, and transparency remain the guiding principles of our great party,” Daniel stated.
The retired naval officer further noted that party members, opposition parties, the electorate, and the international community were observing developments within the APC, describing the controversy as a major test of the party’s commitment to internal democracy and fairness.
He also commended Prof. Yilwatda’s leadership credentials and urged him to use his office to prevent what he described as a deepening crisis capable of destabilizing the APC in Kogi West.
Daniel concluded that lasting peace and unity within the party could only be sustained where justice and transparency are seen to prevail.