Former lawmaker Farouk Lawan has failed in his bid to return to the House of Representatives after losing the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency in Kano State.
Lawan was defeated by the incumbent, Yusuf Badau, in one of the few constituencies where the party conducted competitive primaries.
The outcome comes despite Lawan’s political comeback following a presidential pardon granted by Bola Tinubu in October 2025, which cleared his eligibility after completing a prison term for corruption.
Lawan, once nicknamed “Mr Integrity,” had chaired the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee that probed the 2012 fuel subsidy fraud before his conviction over a bribery scandal involving businessman Femi Otedola.
Meanwhile, the APC in Kano adopted a consensus arrangement in 20 out of the 24 federal constituencies, allowing most incumbent lawmakers to secure return tickets without contest.
The party’s spokesperson in the state, Auwalu Soja, said only four constituencies proceeded to primary elections after some aspirants declined to step down.
Among those who secured tickets through consensus are House Leader Alhassan Doguwa, Abubakar Bichi, and Abdulmumin Jibrin.
Others include Hamisu Chidari, who clinched a third-term ticket for Dambatta Federal Constituency; Mustapha Bala for Dawakin Kudu/Warawa; and Sulaiman Ishaq for Madobi/Garun Mallam.
Soja described the exercise as peaceful and orderly, noting that there were no security challenges throughout the process.
“The primaries were conducted in a mature and peaceful manner,” he said.
The development highlights the APC’s reliance on consensus arrangements in Kano, even as Lawan’s attempt at a political return suffered a setback at the polls.
