Residents and political supporters in Numan on Tuesday staged a protest over alleged plans to impose candidates ahead of the 2027 state and federal legislative elections in Adamawa State.
The protesters, drawn from communities within the Numan Federation including Numan, Lamurde and Demsa, marched through major streets carrying placards condemning what they described as attempts to impose candidates on the people ahead of the elections.
Some of the placards displayed inscriptions such as: “Numan, Lamurde and Demsa Reject Imposition,” “Allow Democracy to Thrive,” “Gov. Fintiri, We Won’t Accept Imposition,” and “Let the People Decide.”
The demonstrators called for transparent, free and credible primary elections, insisting that candidates for the 2027 general elections must emerge through democratic processes in line with the constitution and internal guidelines of the All Progressives Congress.
According to the protesters, there are alleged moves by certain political interests to handpick candidates for state and federal legislative positions, a development they warned could undermine internal democracy and disenfranchise party members at the grassroots level.
Speaking during the protest, Ummi Umar Babagana said the people of the area were determined to resist any attempt to impose candidates on them. She stressed that democracy can only thrive when party members are given the freedom to choose their representatives through open and fair primaries.
Another speaker, Gowon Peter, expressed concern that political imposition could create divisions within political parties and weaken public confidence in the electoral process. He urged political leaders and stakeholders to respect the wishes of the people by ensuring a level playing field for all aspirants.
Also addressing the protesters, Bulus said the demonstration was aimed at sending a strong message that the people of the Numan Federation would not tolerate any form of manipulation during the party selection process. He maintained that only credible and popular candidates should emerge through democratic means.
On his part, Asher Dembo called on party leaders and stakeholders to uphold justice, fairness and transparency in the interest of peace and unity within the party.
The protesters vowed to continue mobilising support for free, fair and transparent primaries across the state, insisting that the future of democracy depends on the active participation of party members in choosing their leaders.
