Tension in APC over release of final candidates’ list as Govs, prominent senators, others lose out

Tension in APC over release of final candidates’ list as Govs, prominent senators, others lose out

By Ndukaku Ihe

​Tension and anger have gripped many aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the issuance of nomination forms to candidates cleared to contest the 2027 general elections.

AbeyaNews gathered that President Bola Tinubu largely kept to his promise of giving state governors a free hand to determine party candidates amid tension in several state chapters of the party.

The control handed to the governors has left several heavyweight senators and high-profile aspirants across the country losing out in the fierce battle for return tickets.

Incumbents who failed to secure their party’s backing find themselves politically stranded as the impact of the strict anti-defection laws prevents them from easily switching platforms late in the game.

The development has sparked severe internal rifts, with disgruntled lawmakers lodging official complaints and promising political retaliation against what they describe as a deliberate sidelining of established party figures.

The struggle for ticket has provoked widespread tension, particularly in Edo and Delta States where the senatorial primaries proved especially contentious.

In Edo South, the primary descended into chaos, characterised by pockets of violence across various local government wards. Prominent aspirants such as Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the incumbent lawmaker, Senator Neda Imasuen, lost out under controversial circumstances.

Imasuen expressed disappointment over the conduct of the exercise, alleging that he was completely prevented from casting his vote, which forced him to flee the venue to avoid violence before seeking redress through the party’s appeal process.

In Delta North, a similar crisis unfolded as Senator Ned Nwoko rejected the primary results. Nwoko claimed he held ward-by-ward evidence of victory.

In the South West, the battle lines were harshly drawn in Ogun East, where former governor Senator Gbenga Daniel lost his return ticket following a fierce and highly publicised feud with the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, over the control of the party’s structure.

A similar fate befell Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi in Osun Central, who, despite recently defecting to the ruling party to boost its legislative majority, found no protection from the local party apparatus when the final tickets were distributed.

The North Central zone suffered the heaviest clearance of incumbent lawmakers, highlighting the total grip of the region’s governors.

In Benue State, the internal power struggle claimed both Senator Emmanuel Udende of Benue North-East and Senator Titus Zam of Benue West, both of whom were denied return tickets as the state leadership opted for replacements.

In Plateau Central, Senator Diket Plang was sidelined, while in Kwara South, the veteran lawmaker, Senator Oyelola Ashiru failed to secure his ticket amid the broader administrative reshuffle dividing the state.

In Kogi East, where Senator Isah Jibrin has long maintained a strong legislative presence, the party executive chose to advance a new face, shutting the door on his re-election bid.

The pattern repeated itself in the South East, where Senator Osita Izunaso of Imo West was cut from the roaster, proving that even ranking status offered no immunity against the governors’ lists.

Among the governors themselves, the absolute right to name successors and legislative candidates was not sacrosanct.

In Kwara State, the person the governor wanted as his successor failed to scale through the governorship primary, with the presidential preference, Yakubu Salihu Danladi, receiving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination form instead.

Similarly, the Ondo State governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, was overridden by the presidency in favour of loyalists tied to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

With the party finalising its full candidate submission list, the contrast between the concessions given to some governors and the direct presidential interventions in other states has left the APC navigating a treacherous path.

A senior APC chieftain noted that while the president mostly allowed governors to run their states’ affairs, the resulting fallout, parallel primaries, and high-profile casualties show that the party leadership will have to work overtime to heal these self-inflicted wounds before the general elections.