DAURA, Katsina State, Nigeria – Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari, the son of Nigeria’s late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has broken his silence following a crushing victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Sandamu/Daura/Mai’adua Federal Constituency seat, expressing deep gratitude for what he described as an overwhelming mandate.
Okay News reports that the certified results from the direct primaries on Saturday, May 16, 2026, confirmed that Yusuf Buhari secured a staggering 5,849 votes. His lone challenger, Hon. Auwal Lawal Daura—who firmly resisted intense pressure from state party stakeholders to step down in a consensus arrangement—polled just 21 votes.
Reacting to the landslide outcome on his official social media platforms, Yusuf Buhari celebrated the result as a validation of his vision for the constituency. “Alhamdulillah! We have secured a landslide victory with 5,849 votes, defeating our opponent who polled just 21 votes,” he stated. “This overwhelming mandate is a clear demonstration of the trust, confidence and support of our people. Thank you to everyone who stood with us, prayed and voted for this victory. Mun gode kwarai (We thank you very much).”
However, the aftermath of the high-stakes primary has been marred by strong resistance from the opposition camp. Speaking shortly after the final tally, Auwal Lawan Daura explicitly faulted the integrity of the direct voting system, alleging widespread procedural infractions. Daura claimed that the exercise did not conform to the national guidelines of the APC and accused organizers of counting individuals who did not possess valid party membership cards.
“I am not satisfied with what happened today. Evidence is everywhere showing the injustice that was done. The manner of counting was highly dubious, and most of the people counted did not even have party membership cards,” Daura asserted. He maintained that his insistence on forcing a ballot was out of respect for internal democracy rather than malice, stating, “When a consensus candidate was said to have been adopted, the people said no, they wanted us to go for primaries.”
Despite Daura’s protests and threats of an official appeal to the APC Primary Election Appeals Committee, local political circles across Katsina State are viewing the result as a resounding reassertion of the Buhari family’s enduring political legacy in the region. The ruling party is expected to formally ratify Yusuf Buhari’s candidacy ahead of the 2027 general elections in the coming days.
