Former Kaduna Speaker Promises Loyalty to APC After Losing Primary

Former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani, has promised to stay loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said he will not work against the party even after losing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District ticket in the recent primary election.

Zailani made these comments in an interview that gained attention on social media and was reported by PREMIUM TIMES.

He stated that he would not “throw sand in anyone’s path” or harm the APC’s chances in the 2027 general election.

According to him, the APC played a big role in his political journey, making it hard for him to betray the party.

“The APC has done everything for me. In the party, I became Majority Leader, later Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, and I even served as Acting Governor. All these opportunities came through the APC,” he said.

He also mentioned that instead of feeling bitter about the primary loss, he wants to focus on helping the party succeed.

“Now is the time to serve the APC. I will do everything within my power to ensure the party succeeds. I will not sabotage anyone or work against my party.”

Zailani’s latest comments show a change from his first reaction to the APC senatorial primary. In that election, former lawmaker Shehu Sani won the Kaduna Central ticket.

The primary was highly competitive and attracted a lot of attention because it featured two powerful politicians with established political networks in the state.

After the results were announced, Zailani rejected them. He claimed that the primary was flawed and did not reflect what true party delegates wanted.

His supporters also criticized how the primary was run. They called the process flawed and asked for a review of the results.

In the days following the primary, Zailani shared his dissatisfaction with the exercise and insisted that it did not meet his expectations.

But his recent comments suggest he has come to terms with the party’s decision and is ready to move forward.

The APC primary for Kaduna Central was one of the most watched elections in Kaduna State.

Sani, who was a senator for the district from 2015 to 2019, beat Zailani to take the APC ticket.

This victory marked Sani’s return to the APC after rejoining the party. For Zailani, this loss ended his chance to represent the district in the Senate.

The outcome received mixed reactions from party members. Supporters of both candidates celebrated or protested the results, respectively.

Even though Zailani initially questioned the credibility of the primary, his latest comments show he has chosen to support party unity instead of continuing to fight the decision. He declared he will work for the APC in the upcoming general election.

An ally of Zailani told PREMIUM TIMES that the former speaker’s latest remarks aim to encourage unity within the APC after the heated senatorial primary.

“The primary is over, and politics is about building consensus after competition. He has accepted the reality and believes the party must move forward together. That is the message he is sending,” the source said.