Self-accountability is essential in politics. It requires political leaders to take responsibility for their actions, decisions and promises rather than shift blame for their failures. It promotes transparency, strengthens public trust and keeps leaders focused on serving the interests of the people rather than pursuing personal ambitions.
During the 2022 election cycle, Bashir Ahmad continued to dispute the validity of the primary election in which he was defeated. His determination to secure the ticket, coupled with the bitterness of defeat, appears to have influenced his subsequent attempts to challenge the established account of what transpired.
In the build-up to the primary, the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held a stakeholders’ meeting for the Kano South Senatorial District at Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, as part of efforts to ensure a smooth and credible primary process. The meeting was attended by serving party members, aspirants and other key stakeholders.
I vividly recall Ahmad’s conduct at that meeting. He spoke for more than 10 minutes in a manner many stakeholders considered arrogant and dismissive, showing little regard for the decency and decorum expected in the presence of party leaders and stakeholders.
More significantly, he spoke with considerable confidence about his candidacy, giving the impression that he enjoyed the backing of powerful interests in the Villa. His posture and remarks suggested that he regarded the outcome as almost predetermined and believed that support from influential quarters would guarantee his emergence.
The primary election proved otherwise. When the delegates eventually voted, the outcome did not correspond with the expectations Ahmad had projected. Rather than accept the result and move forward within the democratic framework of the party, he continued to challenge its legitimacy and advance an account of events that differs from what many participants witnessed.
Political contests are not won by entitlement or perceived access to power. They are won through the confidence of voters or delegates and the legitimacy of the electoral process. When an aspirant loses, the honourable response is to accept the verdict, learn from the experience and return to the people with renewed conviction—not to construct alternative narratives after the fact.
The 2022 Primary
Years after the primary election, Ahmad still appears unwilling to accept the outcome of the 2022 APC primary for the Gaya, Ajingi and Albasu Federal Constituency.
At that primary, the then-incumbent member, Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya, decisively defeated Ahmad, who was then an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, by 109 votes to 16.
Following the defeat, Ahmad took to Facebook to explain his absence from the venue. He claimed that he had left to protect supporters whom he alleged were being intimidated by thugs.
He wrote: “As an aspirant, I left the venue of the primary election for Gaya, Ajingi and Albasu Federal Constituency because of the security of our majority delegates. If you want to compete with the best, thugs shouldn’t be part of any election.”
For those who witnessed the process, however, that account bears little resemblance to what transpired on the ground. One particularly curious aspect of Ahmad’s statement was his reference to “majority delegates”. The obvious question is: who were these majority delegates?
At the time, Ahmad had not established a substantial grassroots political base, either in his local government or across the three local governments that make up the federal constituency. His emergence from Abuja, aided by his position as a presidential appointee, did not automatically translate into political acceptance among the delegates.
The delegates demonstrated their preference clearly at the primary. They overwhelmingly backed Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya, whose 109 votes against Ahmad’s 16 left little ambiguity about the outcome.
It is equally important not to rewrite the circumstances surrounding the election. Who brought security escorts from Abuja to the venue? Were they not associated with Ahmad and members of his camp? And what was the purpose of their presence at the Islamic Centre in Gaya, where the primary was conducted?
Following the primary, the dispute moved to the courts. The legal challenge did not overturn the result. The Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Kano affirmed Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya’s victory.
This raises a legitimate question: why continue to resurrect an issue whose political and legal outcomes have already been determined?
If the delegates rejected your candidacy, the primary produced a clear result, and the courts affirmed that result, what exactly remains to be contested?
Politics is not a permanent entitlement. Holding a government appointment does not confer ownership of the grassroots, just as proximity to Abuja cannot substitute for the democratic choice of party delegates.
The delegates spoke. The result was recorded. The courts affirmed it. Rather than repeatedly reopening a chapter that ended in a decisive political defeat, the more responsible course would be to accept the verdict of the delegates and move forward. Political narratives may be disputed, but established records cannot simply be rewritten.
Questions About Eligibility
There is, however, another issue that Bashir Ahmad should address: whether he was eligible to contest the 2022 primary while still holding a government appointment.
Under the electoral framework applicable at the time, public officers seeking elective office were subject to resignation requirements.
According to records available to me, Ahmad did not resign before participating in the electoral process and continued to receive his government salary during the relevant period. I personally have copies of payslips covering that period.
If Ahmad is prepared to make claims about political events on social media, he should equally be prepared to answer questions concerning his own record.
The 2026 Consensus Process
The same principle applies to the 2026 APC stakeholders’ consensus process. At the stakeholders’ consensus meeting held at the Kano State Government House for the Ajingi, Gaya and Albasu Federal Constituency, Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya reportedly secured 33 of the 55 recorded stakeholder votes across the three local government areas.
The incumbent member, Hon. Ghali Panda, reportedly received the remaining 22 votes, while Bashir Ahmad, despite being one of the aspirants, reportedly received no vote.
The figures become even more revealing when broken down by local government. Based on the information available to me, Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya secured 19 votes in Gaya, 10 in Ajingi and four in Albasu. These are matters that should not be reduced to social media propaganda or political storytelling. They are claims that can be tested against the relevant records.
Ahmad therefore owes the public straightforward answers to straightforward questions: Did he resign from his government appointment before contesting in 2022? Why did he continue receiving his government salary during the period in question?
How many votes did he receive at the 2026 stakeholders’ consensus meeting? And, perhaps most importantly, why did he receive no vote at that meeting?
These questions are not intended to diminish his political ambition. They are questions of accountability, transparency and public credibility.
Politics should be about facts, accountability, integrity and the confidence of the people—not selective storytelling. Political disagreements are legitimate, but they should not become an excuse to distort established records or mislead the public.
The people of Nigeria deserve to know what happened in 2022 and what happened in 2026.
The records exist. Let the records speak for themselves.
Abba Dukawa writes from Kano, can be reached at abbahydukawa@gmail.com.
