APC House Primaries Erupt in Violence — One Killed, 10 Arrested in Plateau and Lagos

At least one person was killed and ten suspects arrested after violence broke out during All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primaries in Plateau and Lagos states on Sunday, exposing deep fault lines in Nigeria’s ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

In Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, a young man identified as Sani Abdullahi was shot dead when security personnel moved to disperse protesters at a primary venue in Kasuwa Ali community. Five other people sustained injuries.

What Happened in Plateau

According to eyewitness Dantala Hassan, the primary was originally scheduled for Saturday but returning officers failed to show up, pushing the exercise to Sunday. When delays continued into Sunday morning, angry youths blocked the road to prevent government officials from leaving the venue.

“The exercise was supposed to take place on Saturday morning, but it didn’t take place because of the absence of returning officers. So the youths started protesting, alleging that the delay was deliberate,” Hassan told Daily Post.

As tensions rose, security operatives fired into the crowd to disperse protesters. A stray bullet struck Abdullahi, killing him on the spot. Five others were rushed to a nearby hospital. Efforts to reach Plateau State Police spokesperson DSP Alfred Alabo and Operation Enduring Peace’s Captain Polycarp Oteh were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

Chaos in Lagos

In Lagos, hoodlums invaded an APC primary venue at a primary school on Onilewura Street in the Egbe area of Alimosho Local Government, opening fire and sending voters fleeing. The Lagos State Police Command arrested 10 suspects and recovered a locally made firearm from the scene.

Police spokesperson ASP Femi Adeoye confirmed no deaths occurred in the Lagos incident. “The hoodlums responsible for the disturbance have been arrested and taken to Ikotun Division. A gun was recovered,” he said, adding that investigations were ongoing to identify sponsors and motives.

Pattern of Pre-Election Violence

The incidents are not isolated. Reports of violence, imposition of candidates, and disrupted primaries have surfaced from multiple states including Ondo, Delta, Adamawa, and Nasarawa, as APC members jostle for tickets ahead of 2027 general elections. In Ondo, gunmen took over a primary venue; in Delta, senatorial primaries were held amid tension.

For the APC, which controls the presidency and a majority of governorship seats, the conduct of its internal primaries is a measure of democratic credibility. Sunday’s bloodshed points to a party struggling to manage the ambitions of its members without descending into organised violence.

The police have not yet issued a comprehensive national statement on all the incidents as of press time.

Sources: Daily Post, Premium Times, Nigeria Info FM