In the previous Senate elections, all three incumbent senators were re-elected: Adamu Aliero (APC) held his seat with 73% of the vote in the Central district, Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (APC) won with 71% in the North district, and Bala Ibn Na'allah (APC) was returned with 67% in the South district. These results were a part of a slight swing to the Kebbi APC as most House of Representatives seats were won by the party, it won a majority in the House of Assembly, and Buhari won the state in the presidential election.
On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[7] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[8] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[9][10][11][12]
Observers view the APC senatorial primary as a continuation of the battle between the preexisting major factions of the Kebbi State APC with one faction led by Aliero and the other faction led by outgoing Governor (and senatorial candidate) Abubakar Atiku Bagudu. In the gubernatorial primary, Aliero backed the candidacy of Kebbi North SenatorYahaya Abubakar Abdullahi while Bagudu eventually supported union leader Nasir Idris. As Bagudu was a serving governor, his faction was recognized by the national party in February 2022 but the internal rift continued as Bagudu and Aliero jostled for the senatorial ticket.[13] A few hours before the primary, Aliero withdrew in a letter alleging that the delegate list had been handpicked by Bagudu to rig the primary in his favour.[14] In the primary, Bagudu was nominated unanimously; he thanked delegates in his acceptance speech.[15] Aliero left the APC a few days later.[16]
On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[17] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[18] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[19][20][21][22]
On the original primary date, an indirect primary in Birnin Kebbi resulted in Haruna Saidu—former Kebbi State PDP Chairman—being nominated unopposed.[23] However, in the wake of Aliero's defection, the state party annulled the original primary and held a new exercise on 9 June where Aliero defeated Saidu by a wide margin.[24] Saidu protested and sued against the new primary, claiming that he never withdrew as nominee and thus the second primary was invalid.[25] In response, the state PDP expelled Saidu for taking the party to court over the issue and alleged forgery.[26][27] However, a High Court ruled in favor of Saidu based on the fact that he had not withdrawn from the nomination thus making the rerun primary illegitimate.[28] In early November, Aliero appealed the ruling at an Appeal Court sitting in Sokoto;[29] the court ruled against Aliero later that month.[30] However, Aliero's appeal to the Supreme Court was successful with its 30 January ruling reinstating him as the legitimate nominee.[31]
Media described the Bagudu vs. Aliero race as a potentially definitive decider on the preeminent political godfather of Kebbi State.[32][33] However, the court ruling that declared Saidu as the PDP nominee changed the dynamics of the race. By December, after Aliero lost his appeal, pundits began to question if his political career was over.[34] However, Aliero's appeal to the Supreme Court was successful with its 30 January ruling reinstating him as the legitimate nominee.[31]
On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[7] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[8] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[9][10][11][12]
On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[17] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[37] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[19][20][21][38]
On the original primary date, an indirect primary resulted in former MHR Ibrahim Bawa Kamba being nominated over fellow former MHR Sani Bawa Arugungu by a wide margin.[23] However, the PDP later nominated incumbent Abdullahi after he joined the party.
While noting the ongoing litigation between Bawa Kamba and Abdullahi over the PDP nomination, reporting from The Nation in December gave the edge to Suleiman Kangiwa due to the APC's structural advantages in the district.[39]
On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[7] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[8] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[9][10][11][12]
The primary, held at the Zuru Town Hall in Zuru, resulted in the renomination of Na'allah as he defeated two challengers—Shehu Muazu and Sule-Iko Sami. After the primary, Na'allah thanked the delegates and pledged to win the general election.[40]
On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[17] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[41] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[19][20][21][42]
