🎙️ "Both Karimi and Aro Should Be Disqualified": Hon. Mahmood Maikudi Decries Kogi West APC Primary Crisis on Arise News
In a featured interview on Arise News, Hon. Mahmood Maikudi, former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Yahaya Bello, addressed the escalating internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi West Senatorial District. Highlighting allegations of forged result sheets, systemic favoritism, and the disregard of long-standing rotational zoning agreements, Maikudi called on President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to intervene, disqualify the main disputants, and restore internal democracy to avert massive voter apathy.
Deep-Dive Analysis
1. Primary Discrepancies and Result Sheet Irregularities
Conflicting Primary Declarations
Maikudi exposed severe procedural flaws in the Kogi West APC senatorial primaries, detailing how conflicting result declarations breached the party's internal guidelines and electoral integrity.
- Contested Candidacy: While incumbent Senator Sunday Steve Karimi and aspirant Senator Zachary Abubakar actively participated in the primary election, confusion erupted when reports surfaced that Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro—who had allegedly withdrawn prior to the vote—was declared winner or submitted to INEC.
- Forged Result Sheets: Maikudi revealed that the assigned returning officer issued and signed two separate, conflicting result sheets, demonstrating fraudulent manipulation within the state party machinery.
- Call for Disqualification: Because both Karimi's and Aro's camps rely on compromised result declarations, Maikudi argued that the only constitutional remedy to protect the party's mandate is the complete disqualification of both individuals.
"The returning officer signed two different result sheets... How could someone who did not participate in the primary be declared the winner? What we are saying now is that both Karimi and Sam Aro should be disqualified." — Hon. Mahmood Maikudi
2. Rotational Equity and Geopolitical Equity in Kogi West
Breakdown of Grassroots Zoning Agreements
Beyond primary irregularities, Maikudi highlighted the breach of unwritten rotational zoning agreements across the three federal constituencies in Kogi West: Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu, Yagba, and Lokoja/Koton Karfe.
- Subregional Monopolization: For nearly two decades, the senatorial seat has been dominated by the Yagba/Kabba-Bunu axes (including Smart Adeyemi and Sunday Karimi).
- Lokoja/Koton Karfe Exclusion: Despite representing significant voting strength, the Lokoja/Koton Karfe constituency has been continuously bypassed for equity, creating widespread resentment among party faithful.
"He who comes to equity must come with clean hands... For over two decades, these areas have held onto the senatorial mandate in the West. Where is fairness? Where is equity?" — Hon. Mahmood Maikudi
3. Impact on Political Trust and Voter Apathy
Call for Direct Executive & NWC Intervention
Maikudi warned that imposition, godfatherism, and judicial maneuvering severely damage public trust in democratic institutions, driving citizens away from the polls.
- Apathy Risks: Irregularities at the district level alienate the grassroots, leaving voters feeling powerless against godfatherism.
- Leadership Mandate: Citing APC constitutional provisions that recognize the President as the national party leader, Maikudi appealed to President Tinubu to enforce strict adherence to party principles, clean up state-level impunity, and ensure justice for legitimate aspirants.
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