Bauchi APC crisis deepens as Sagir Saleh, Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde resign amid disputes over the party’s 2027 primary elections
Bauchi State’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress is facing renewed internal pressure after former Deputy Governor Sagir Saleh, two-time governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde resigned from the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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The latest departures come as the APC continues reconciliation efforts led by former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara to address grievances arising from the party’s 2027 primary elections.
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, submitted his resignation on August 19, 2026, through the APC leadership in Matsango Ward, Azare, in Katagum Local Government Area.
Saleh attributed his decision to personal reasons while thanking party members for their support during his time in the APC.
“I write to formally notify you of my resignation from APC due to personal reasons,” Saleh wrote.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, resigned on August 31, citing what he described as “brazen injustice” and the alleged imposition of candidates without adequate input from party members.
Jibrin has been one of the prominent critics of the APC’s decision to field former Bauchi State Governor Muhammad Abubakar as its governorship candidate for 2027.
He said the concerns of party supporters and constituents had been disregarded during the process.
“The views of our supporters and constituents are apparently of no consequence,” Jibrin said.
Jibrin later told journalists that he would not support either President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or Abubakar in the 2027 election, accusing both politicians of failing ordinary Nigerians.
Kunde, a close associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, also resigned.
His letter, dated August 10, was submitted to the APC chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
Kunde said he was leaving the party “with a heavy heart” and expressed appreciation to party officials for their support dating back to the days of the CPC.
The three resignations are part of a wider pattern of departures from the Bauchi APC in recent months.
Bala Kashuri, who represents the Jama’are/Itas-Gadau Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, resigned from the party in May.
Tijjani Aliyu, an aspirant for the Katagum Federal Constituency, also left the APC after alleging that the outcome of the party’s primary had been predetermined.
Another major setback came when Senator Shehu Buba of Bauchi South defected to the Peoples Redemption Party and subsequently secured the party’s governorship ticket for the 2027 election.
The departures have increased pressure on the Bauchi APC as the party attempts to maintain cohesion ahead of a potentially competitive election cycle.
The APC leadership, however, has sought to play down the significance of the resignations.
Bauchi APC Publicity Secretary Shehu Dauda described political disagreements as a normal feature of party politics and said members remained free to pursue their ambitions elsewhere.
Dauda also pointed to the ongoing reconciliation process, saying the party’s committee was continuing discussions with aggrieved members.
“Among those who left the APC was someone who played a key role in the struggle to establish the party itself,” Dauda said.
“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 contrasting positions highlight the central issue facing the Bauchi APC: whether the recent departures represent isolated political disagreements or a deeper challenge to the party’s unity.
The reconciliation effort led by Dogara is therefore likely to remain important as the 2027 elections approach.
The former speaker’s involvement reflects the seriousness of attempts to bring dissatisfied members back into the party’s fold.
For the APC, the immediate challenge will be to manage competing ambitions while preserving its political structure across Bauchi State.
For the departing politicians, the next political step remains closely watched, particularly as opposition parties prepare for the 2027 contest.
With the election still months away, the latest resignations may not by themselves determine the APC’s fortunes in Bauchi.
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However, the accumulation of departures and public criticism has provided a fresh warning that unresolved grievances could carry political consequences if reconciliation efforts fail.
