A senior political aide in Kaduna State has sparked controversy after publicly referencing alleged past manipulation of election results in Igabi Local Government Area, while also suggesting that similar irregularities could resurface during the 2027 general elections.
The Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor Uba Sani, Abubakar Mamadi, made the remarks during a meeting with political stakeholders from Igabi on Thursday. Mamadi, a former member of the House of Representatives for Igabi Federal Constituency, said he was responding to a video statement by former Kaduna State House of Assembly Speaker, Yusuf Zailani.
Zailani had recently criticised the internal processes of the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that the party had produced candidates incapable of winning general elections. He also accused some party leaders of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s chances in 2027 through what he described as unfair primaries and internal intimidation.
In his comments, Zailani said: “They went and gave tickets to people who cannot win elections. What they did clearly shows they do not want President Tinubu to win the 2027 election. It is important that we let the cat out of the bag and inform the President that these people are deceiving him and cannot deliver Kaduna for him.”
He further insisted that political pressure would not silence opposition voices within the party. “These threats are unnecessary because nobody can intimidate me. If you rigged the primaries, do you think you can rig the general election? The masses will resist you,” he added.
Mamadi, reacting to these claims, said he reviewed Zailani’s remarks carefully before responding in detail. According to him, the former Speaker raised several issues that required clarification.
“I saw a video of the former Speaker (Yusuf Zailani) making some claims. I took note of three claims he made in the video,” Mamadi said during the gathering.
He first challenged Zailani’s assertion that the APC primary elections had been manipulated in a way that made victory at the general election impossible. Mamadi dismissed the argument in strong terms.
“First, he said the primary election results were written and concocted and therefore we cannot win the general election. But I want us to use our brains, since we are not drug addicts,” he said.
However, the most controversial part of Mamadi’s remarks came when he reflected on past elections in Igabi, openly referencing alleged electoral manipulation involving himself and others.
“I also want to remind him of how both of us, alongside some other people, rigged elections, not only primaries but general elections in the past,” he said.
He went further to state: “We wrote election results in Igabi, not once, not twice. If he has forgotten, it is important to remind him that we wrote election results many times in Igabi. I’m talking about general elections, not primaries. So if he is still thinking about primaries, we have also written general election results.”
The remarks have drawn attention because they appear to acknowledge direct interference in electoral outcomes in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, a region that has historically been politically competitive.
Mamadi also addressed comments made by Zailani regarding fearlessness and resistance to arrest, suggesting that the former Speaker’s public posture did not reflect past experiences.
“Secondly, I also saw him boasting that he is not afraid of anybody or being arrested. Let me remind him of how both of us once sneaked away to evade arrest after we received invitation letters from the Commissioner of Police. So now he is boasting that nobody can arrest him. Who is he fooling?” he asked.
He also referenced the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying Zailani had previously reacted nervously when summoned.
“When he was also invited by the EFCC, I personally saw how he was sweating and looking frustrated. So why is he now boasting that nobody can do anything to him?” Mamadi said, referring to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Mamadi concluded by urging political actors in Igabi to disregard Zailani’s criticisms, describing them as driven by frustration over political setbacks.
“Let me tell him that we are strong enough to deal with him even without federal intervention. I want to plead with stakeholders in Igabi to ignore him and not be bothered by his outbursts. He is envious and pained by defeat,” he said.
“He has spent 20 years occupying a particular political position and is now being confronted with the reality that he may lose that seat. Change, even in the scriptures, is inevitable.”
