Chief Maurice Vunobolki, a governorship aspirant in Adamawa State, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of undermining internal party democracy. Speaking at a press briefing in Yola on April 13, 2026, Vunobolki said he and his supporters across the state's 21 local government areas had left the Peoples Democratic Party on February 23, 2026, to join the APC based on promises of transparency and fairness. He alleged that the governor's committee overseeing the ongoing party congresses was stacked with favoured aspirants, creating an uneven playing field. Vunobolki cited irregular membership registrations, including unauthorised use of NINs, particularly in Yola North, to inflate support for preferred candidates.
He claimed incumbent senators were granted automatic tickets without justification and that the primary election process was abruptly changed. Initially, aspirants were told to expect direct primaries under the new Electoral Act, but Vunobolki said current developments suggest otherwise. He recalled spending ₦20 million on nomination forms in 2019 for the Adamawa Southern senatorial seat, only for the process to be altered unfairly at the primaries. The two candidates later imposed, he said, lost the general election badly. Vunobolki warned that similar manipulation is unfolding ahead of the next elections. He announced his resignation from the APC effective April 13, 2026, after consultations with stakeholders. He urged his supporters across all 21 LGAs to withdraw from the party and await further direction. He called on other aspirants to act while opportunities remain, insisting political power must reflect the people's will.
Maurice Vunobolki's exit from the APC exposes the fragility of political loyalty when promises of internal democracy are broken at the highest level. His detailed account — from the ₦20 million spent in 2019 to the current manipulation of membership rolls — suggests a pattern of systemic exclusion rather than isolated grievances.
The timing and specificity of the allegations point to deeper unrest within the APC in Adamawa, especially as Vunobolki claims the governor's own committee is orchestrating bias. His claim that NINs are being used without consent to inflate membership in Yola North raises serious questions about the integrity of the party's congress process. If aspirants who once invested heavily in the system now feel alienated, the party risks fielding candidates without genuine grassroots legitimacy.
Ordinary APC members and voters in Adamawa's 21 LGAs stand to lose the most, as a primary process perceived as rigged undermines public trust in the eventual candidate. When party leadership appears to preselect contenders, it discourages participation and fuels cynicism about whether elections truly matter.
This mirrors a recurring trend in Nigerian politics where ruling parties replicate the very undemocratic practices they once opposed. Vunobolki's departure is less about one man's ambition and more about the erosion of faith in institutional processes meant to ensure fairness.
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