According to the source, Lukman contested against El-Rufai for the APC governorship ticket but lost the primary election. “I was at the meeting where Malam said he preferred a woman for the North-West vice chairmanship. “That is why I was surprised when I heard him blaming El-Rufai for what happened to him in the ADC,” the source said. He said the latest disagreement started after the opposition coalition adopted the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, instead of backing Lukman, El-Rufai nominated his former Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Mohammed Baba, who was later appointed as the ADC North-West Zonal Vice Chairperson.