Mahmud Sadis Buba, popularly known as Al-Ajabin Zazzau, has withdrawn from the race to represent Sabon Gari Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a decision that comes squarely amid a heated public controversy over allegations of age falsification and document discrepancies that had trailed his candidacy for weeks.
Buba announced his withdrawal in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the APC in Kaduna State, which he also published on his verified Facebook page on Saturday. While the letter attributed the withdrawal to reconciliation efforts and party unity, the timing of his exit — against the backdrop of a public debate over whether he meets the constitutional age requirement for the House of Representatives — has raised widespread speculation that the age controversy played a decisive role in his decision to step down.
The controversy that engulfed Buba’s candidacy centred on allegations that he misrepresented his age in order to meet the constitutional requirement for election into the House of Representatives. Under Section 65(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), a person must have attained the age of 30 years to be eligible for election to the House of Representatives.
Buba had previously stated in interviews that he was born on August 2, 1995, which would make him 30 years old the exact minimum age required to contest. His claim to meet the age threshold, however, was immediately and widely challenged.
The controversy gained significant traction online after Buba appeared before the APC screening committee in Abuja. Following his appearance, critics began circulating documents they claimed showed inconsistencies in his identity records and personal details. Most damaging were claims by opponents who alleged that Buba was actually 16 years old not 30 and circulated what they described as the data page of his international passport online to support their assertion.
The alleged passport document, if authentic, would have placed Buba’s birth year far later than 1995, making him constitutionally ineligible for the House of Representatives and raising serious questions about potential forgery and identity fraud.
Buba’s physical appearance also became a subject of intense public debate on social media, with critics arguing that his looks were inconsistent with a person who claimed to be 30 years old. While physical appearance is not a legal basis for determining age, the viral nature of the debate amplified the scrutiny on his candidacy and created a political firestorm within the Kaduna APC.
In his withdrawal letter, Buba did not directly address the age allegations or the document discrepancies that had dominated public discourse about his candidacy. Instead, he framed his exit as a sacrifice for party unity, citing reconciliation efforts initiated by party stakeholders and leaders.
“Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am withdrawing from the race for Sabon Gari Federal Constituency, House of Representatives, effective immediately,” he wrote.
“This was not an easy decision. But it was hastened by the reconciliation efforts initiated by stakeholders and leaders of our party. Consequently, after extensive consultations with my family, political associates, and stakeholders within our great party, I have decided that this decision is in the best interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
Buba said the move was aimed at strengthening party unity ahead of the general elections, stressing that supporting a consensus candidate was key to APC’s success in the constituency.
“I believe that uniting behind a single candidate is paramount to our victory in the general election and for the continued progress of our constituency and state,” he stated.
He also expressed appreciation to Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, and the APC leadership for the opportunity to participate in the nomination process, describing the experience as enriching.
Insisting that his withdrawal should not be perceived as weakness, Buba said: “My withdrawal is not a sign of weakness, but a sacrifice for the greater good of the party. I assure you that I remain a faithful party member and am committed to working tirelessly to ensure the victory of the party’s consensus candidate and the party at large at the polls.”
He urged his supporters to remain calm, united, and to rally behind whoever emerges as the APC’s flagbearer in the constituency.
The most conspicuous feature of Buba’s withdrawal letter is what it did not say. There was no mention of the age falsification allegations, no reference to the circulated passport document, no denial or rebuttal of the claims that he was not 30 years old, and no explanation of the document discrepancies that critics had raised.
The silence on these issues is notable because the age controversy had been the single most dominant issue surrounding his candidacy. His decision to frame the withdrawal entirely around party unity and reconciliation, without addressing the substantive allegations that had consumed public attention for weeks, has led many observers to interpret the exit as an acknowledgment that the age question had become politically untenable.
Party stakeholders have yet to issue an official statement on whether Buba’s withdrawal is linked to the age controversy or is genuinely part of broader internal reconciliation within the APC in Kaduna State.
However, the fact that the withdrawal was described as being “hastened by reconciliation efforts initiated by stakeholders and leaders” of the party suggests that senior APC figures may have encouraged or facilitated Buba’s exit to avoid a potentially embarrassing and legally damaging situation that could have affected the party’s chances in the constituency if the age allegations were eventually proven.
Buba’s withdrawal, while resolving the immediate political question of his candidacy, leaves several important questions unanswered.