Amb. Mubarak Ahmad Tijjani wants the African Democratic Congress to throw out a rival.
He's challenging Senator Ireti Kingibe's candidacy for the FCT senatorial race in 2027.
Tijjani filed a petition this week accusing Kingibe of skipping the party's mandatory screening. He says she's trying to bypass the process while other aspirants played by the rules.
"A candidate who cannot face her own party's screening committee is fundamentally unfit to face the FCT electorate," Tijjani told reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.
He argues the ADC constitution is explicit on this matter. Aspirants who don't attend screening get automatically disqualified from the primary, according to him.
"The rules are clear. If you do not attend the screening, you are disqualified from the primary.
You cannot evade the process and then seek an uncontested ticket," he stated.
Tijjani believes allowing Kingibe to bypass screening would damage the party's credibility. He warned that such favoritism could spark serious conflict within ADC ranks.
Political imposition no longer works in the FCT, he insisted. The territory has moved past those old tactics, in his view.
"The residents of the FCT, especially the youth population, are watching closely," Tijjani noted. "We have complied with all party requirements, mobilised delegates, and participated in the screening process."
He called on delegates to demand fairness in the primary elections. Democratic principles must guide how the party selects its candidates, he emphasized.
Tijjani directed his appeal to ADC's national chairman and organising secretary. Members of the FCT screening committee must also enforce party rules strictly, he said.
As of Wednesday evening, neither Kingibe nor ADC's top officials had issued any response. The party leadership hasn't made any public statement regarding the allegations.
The petition sets up a potential showdown within ADC ahead of 2027. How party elders handle this matter will test their commitment to internal democracy.
