YOUTH GROUP IN NIGERIA’S PLATEAU STATE URGES CALM AMID DISPUTE OVER RULING PARTY TICKET

• Protests erupt in Jos after APC nominates candidate who placed 4th in primary

Our Reporter

A leading youth organization in central Nigeria has called for calm in Jos North-North constituency after protests broke out over the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, nominating a candidate who finished fourth in the party’s primary election.

The Plateau State Youth Council made the appeal on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, following an early-morning demonstration in Angwan Rukuba, a community in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

According to results declared at the APC collation center, the votes in the Jos North-North State Assembly primary were: Adamu Aliyu scored 13,066, Harry Ishaya scored 1,904, Shehu Bala Usman got 239, and Abdulkadir Hassan polled 182.

The Youth Council said Aliyu, who won by a wide margin, was later disqualified by the party. The ticket was then awarded to Hassan, who placed fourth.

The decision sparked anger among constituents who accused the party of lacking transparency.

The Youth Council said its Chairman, Panan Gongden Dapar, and other stakeholders intervened, persuading protesters to suspend the demonstration and reopen roads they had blocked.

“This responsible action underscores the commitment of the people to peace and dialogue, and it is important that such goodwill is not taken for granted by party stakeholders,” the Council said in a statement signed by Public Relations Officer Bahal Nanpyal Mark.

The Council noted it had earlier urged all political parties in Plateau to ensure fairness ahead of primaries to avoid disputes that could threaten the state’s fragile peace.

The group is asking APC’s national and state leadership to resolve the matter fairly.

It specifically named National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe and Plateau State Chairman Hon. Rufus Bature.

“A transparent and credible resolution will not only strengthen confidence in the democratic process but also preserve peace and unity within Jos North-North Constituency and Plateau State at large,” the Council said.

Party primaries ahead of state elections often trigger disputes in Nigeria, where internal democracy within political parties is frequently contested in court.

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