Ringim and Taura Federal Constituency aspirant, Bar. Firdausi Sunusi Umar has withdrawn from the race and thrown her support behind the consensus candidate, Yusha’u Muhammad, for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket.
The withdrawal, announced during a courtesy call with Governor Umar Namadi at the Government House in Dutse, comes hours before the scheduled primary election. In a letter addressed to the national party chairman and received by state legal adviser Bar. Baffa Alhassan, Bar. Firdausi cited “the overall interest of unity, stability and progress of the party” as the basis for her decision. She said the move follows consultations with party elders and stakeholders and is in line with section 87(1) of the Electoral Act.
Bar. Firdausi was one of eleven aspirants initially contesting the APC nomination for the Ringim and Taura seat. After a series of internal negotiations, nine of the aspirants, excluding her, had already stepped down in favour of Yusha’u Muhammad, who emerged as the consensus candidate. Bar. Firdausi’s endorsement completes the intra‑party alignment.
“I resolved to align myself with the consensus candidate of our great party, APC,” she stated. “I therefore wholeheartedly endorse Yusha’u Muhammad for the Ringim and Taura Federal Constituency ticket.”
The consolidation around a single candidate is expected to present a united front for the APC in the upcoming general election, reducing the risk of vote fragmentation within the party’s base. Party officials indicate that the move aims to strengthen the party’s chances of retaining the constituency, which has historically been a competitive battleground.
As the primaries approach, the APC will now focus on mobilising its grassroots structures around Yusha’u Muhammad’s campaign. Observers note that the smooth transition suggests a relatively stable internal democratic process within the state chapter, a factor that could influence voter perception ahead of the national polls.
The next step will be the formal declaration of Yusha’u Muhammad as the APC candidate, after which campaign activities are expected to intensify across Ringim and Taura. Stakeholders will be watching closely to see how the unified ticket translates into voter turnout and electoral performance in the constituency.
