The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing growing internal tension over its governorship ticket allocation process ahead of the 2027 elections. While party primaries are scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to occur between April 23 and May 30, 2026, several states are already witnessing moves toward consensus-based candidate selection. In Ekiti, Governor Abiodun Oyebanji secured a second-term bid after aspirant Mrs Atinuke Oluremi Omolayo stepped down, paving the way for consensus. In Osun, Bola Oyebamiji became the party's candidate following the disqualification of Senator Iyiola Omisore and six others, a decision Omisore has challenged in court.
The APC has reportedly agreed to grant automatic tickets to governors who defected to the party, including Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Caleb Muftwang of Plateau, Umoh Eno of Akwa Ibom, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers. However, Fubara's inclusion remains unclear as he has not been formally received into the APC. In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule's endorsement of Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada has divided aspirants, with Faisal Shuaib, Professor Sani Haruna, Shehu Tukur, Tanimu Adamson, Abubakar Nalaraba, Mohammed Maikaya, Hassan Liman, and Abu Giza either opposing or withholding position, while Musa Ahmed Mohammed supports the decision.
The Electoral Act 2026 allows parties to adopt direct primaries or consensus under Sections 84–88. APC stalwart Cafra Caino warns that applying consensus across governorship and National Assembly seats could trigger problems, urging the party to consider direct primaries to prevent internal conflict.
Governor Abdullahi Sule's endorsement of Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as his preferred successor exposes the contradiction between the APC's claim of internal democracy and its reliance on top-down imposition. Aspirants like Faisal Shuaib and Professor Sani Haruna, who have campaigned for years under the APC banner, now face political erasure despite their investment. The party's pattern of favouring consensus over direct primaries directly undermines those who expected a fair contest. This process risks turning APC primaries into mere endorsements of predetermined choices.
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