Party rules must not be altered after candidates emerge – Ex-Niger Speaker Usman

Former Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, has cautioned against altering political party rules after candidates have been nominated, arguing that such actions can weaken the development of political parties as institutions. Usman, who secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus nomination for the Lavun/Edati/Mokwa Federal Constituency, has taken legal action after his name was removed from the party's candidate list.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Amana Tinubu/Bago Support Group, Usman said his court challenge is not solely about his personal ambitions, but about upholding established party rules. He warned that political parties must follow these rules if they are to remain functional. "If you don’t take the courage to challenge the system and we keep on being very distant, ‘Oh, it is the party, he has the power to do so,’ it will get to a level that one day they will just announce that we are starting the primary," Usman warned.

He also stated that allowing party rules to be changed at will could render the nomination process meaningless, as candidates could be selected without going through the proper channels. Usman, who is the convener of the Amana Tinubu/Bago Support Group, remains committed to the APC despite the controversy surrounding the ticket.

The support group, formed by his supporters, continues to mobilize for the party across all levels of elections. Usman has pledged to return to Mokwa and other areas of the constituency to engage with his supporters and clarify the situation. The support group has already held meetings in the three local government areas, with further ward-level engagements planned.