APC Enugu Primary: Nnam Defeats Foreign Affairs Minister Tuggar

BAUCHI — Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar has suffered a significant political defeat in the APC senatorial primary for Bauchi North Senatorial Zone. Victor Abubakar was declared the winner of the exercise after polling the highest votes. Tuggar finished second with 26,001 votes while Nura Manu Soro polled 13,638 and Bala Wunti recorded 13,648 votes.

The result represents a stunning setback for Tuggar, who had resigned from the cabinet in March 2026 following President Tinubu’s directive that all political appointees seeking elective positions must step down from office before pursuing party primaries. His resignation was seen as a high-stakes bet that his political capital would carry him to victory.

The primary returning officer, Abang, declared the results after collation from across the senatorial zone. The exercise was described as largely peaceful by party officials, though some aspirants expressed concern about the level of delegate mobilisation by different camps.

Tuggar has not issued a formal public statement on his defeat as of Tuesday morning. Sources close to the former minister said he is consulting legal counsel on whether to file an appeal with the APC’s internal appeal committee. The 72-hour window for filing such appeals is already running.

A Cabinet Minister Falls

Tuggar’s loss is one of the most notable political defeats to emerge from the APC’s nationwide primary season. As Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, he was among the most visible members of Tinubu’s cabinet. His loss in his home senatorial zone suggests that ministerial status did not translate into the kind of grassroots delegate loyalty that primaries require.

Political analysts say the result reflects a broader lesson from this primary season. Cabinet positions give politicians national visibility but do not automatically create local political machines. Without strong ward-level organisation and delegate relationships, even high-profile politicians can lose primary contests to less well-known opponents.

Furthermore, Tuggar’s defeat adds to a list of notable APC casualties from the primary season including Ned Nwoko in Delta, Ovie Omo-Agege in Delta Central, and Danjuma Goje in Gombe. The common thread is that established political figures have been vulnerable to challengers backed by state governors or local political structures.

What It Means for Bauchi Politics

Victor Abubakar’s emergence as the APC senatorial candidate for Bauchi North sets up a contest between the ruling party and opposition candidates when the 2027 elections arrive. Bauchi State is currently governed by Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP, making it one of the opposition’s key strongholds in the north.

The APC will need a strong senatorial candidate to make inroads into a state where the PDP has significant institutional support. Whether Abubakar is that candidate will depend on how effectively he can consolidate party support following a primary season that produced its own share of internal tensions.

INEC’s May 30 deadline for submitting candidates means that all parties must finalise their lists within days. Any appeal processes must be resolved quickly. The commission has warned that it will not accept candidates from primaries that are found to have violated party rules and electoral guidelines.