By The Metro 
More prominent members of the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi State have resigned from the party despite reconciliation efforts led by a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to resolve grievances arising from the party’s primaries for the 2027 elections.
The latest departures include a former deputy governor, Sagir Saleh; a former two-time APC governorship aspirant, Bala Jibrin; and Sunusi Kunde, a close associate of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, among others.
The aggrieved members have accused the party leadership of injustice, lack of internal democracy and alleged imposition of candidates during the primaries.
Saleh, who served as deputy governor during the administration of former Governor Isa Yuguda, formally resigned his membership of the APC in a letter dated August 19, 2026.
The letter, addressed to the APC chairman of Katagum Local Government Area through the party chairman of Matsango Ward, Azare, cited personal reasons for his decision.
“I write to formally notify you of my resignation from APC due to personal reasons. I would like to thank all the APC party members for the support they showed me while in the party,” Saleh stated.
Similarly, Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change and two-time APC governorship aspirant in the state, announced his resignation in a letter dated August 31, 2026.
The letter was addressed to the APC chairman of Nasarawa/Bakin Kasuwa Ward in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area.
Jibrin said his resignation and withdrawal of support for the party would take immediate effect, attributing his decision to what he described as “brazen injustice” and the alleged imposition of candidates without regard for party members.
“I came to this conclusion due mainly to the brazen injustice and imposition of candidates for elective offices with no regard to party members in Bauchi State. The views of our supporters and constituents are apparently of no consequence,” he stated.
He said he decided after consultations with his supporters, friends and associates, who he said endorsed his decision to leave the APC.
“After an interaction with my supporters, friends, and associates, my decision to exit the APC was endorsed; that it is the best option in the circumstances,” Jibrin added.
He described his resignation as “the most honourable move” rather than remaining in a party where he alleged that members were treated with contempt.
Jibrin has been one of the most vocal critics of the APC’s choice of former Bauchi State Governor, Muhammad Abubakar (SAN), as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
Following the party’s governorship primary, he opposed the emergence of the former governor, alleging that the process was manipulated in favour of a particular aspirant.
At a press conference held before the primary, Jibrin had warned APC stakeholders, including former governor Yuguda and Pate, against what he described as attempts to “short-change” Bauchi people through the imposition of an unpopular candidate.
He alleged that Abubakar had been “tried, tested, and rejected” by the electorate in the 2019 election.
Speaking by telephone with journalists after his resignation, Jibrin said he saw no compelling reason to remain in the APC, which he accused of failing to prioritise the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
He also said he would not support either President Bola Tinubu or Abubakar at the polls, alleging that both had failed to demonstrate sufficient commitment to the welfare of the people.
Jibrin has held several positions within the CPC, APC and other political parties.
He served as National Auditor of the CPC, National Auditor of the APC Interim National Executive Committee, Sole Administrator of the Action Peoples Party in Imo State and Sole Administrator of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in Adamawa State.
Meanwhile, Kunde also resigned from the APC in a letter dated August 10, 2026, addressed to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
Kunde said he was leaving the party “with a heavy heart.”
He said, “I hereby forward my letter of resignation from the All Progressives Congress party (APC) with a heavy heart. While I thank you and your exco for your unreserved support since our days of CPC and APC struggles. Please accept my warm regards.”
The latest resignations came on the heels of earlier departures by several APC aspirants and stakeholders following the party’s primaries.
The PUNCH had earlier reported the resignation of the member representing Jama’are/Itas-Gadau Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bala Kashuri.
Kashuri announced his resignation in a letter dated May 21, 2026, saying his decision followed careful reflection and consultations.
An aspirant for Katagum Federal Constituency, Tijjani Aliyu, also resigned from the party, alleging that the primaries were characterised by predetermined results, vote allocation and violations of party guidelines.
Similarly, the senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Buba, defected from the APC to the Peoples Redemption Party, where he secured the governorship ticket for the 2027 election.
Reacting to the development, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Shehu Dauda, said it was normal for political parties to experience occasional disagreements and challenges.
Dauda told journalists that individuals had the right to express their opinions and make decisions regarding their political future.
“If someone is dissatisfied with the proceedings in any political party, they are free to leave and pursue their ambitions elsewhere as they deem fit,” he said.
He said the party’s reconciliation committee had reached out to some aggrieved members as part of efforts to address their concerns and restore unity within the APC.
“Whenever someone pursues an objective, the outcome is either success or failure. In the APC, we had about nine people seeking the governorship ticket, yet only one person left the party before the primaries.
“As I speak to you now, with the campaign season about to begin, the only aspirant who has left is Senator Shehu Buba,” Dauda said.
He added that some of those who left had played important roles in the formation and development of the APC.
“Among those who left the APC was someone who played a key role in the struggle to establish the party itself. It is hardly wise to abandon a house you helped build with your own hands, leaving it for others, simply because a personal ambition was not realised,” the publicity secretary said.