The All Progressives Congress (APC) is battling fresh internal crisis after changing the outcome of several National Assembly primaries. The decision has triggered protests, lawsuits and fresh disagreements in different states.
Many aspirants who first won the primaries were later replaced after the party reviewed petitions. Party insiders said pressure from governors and other powerful leaders influenced many of the changes.
The APC National Working Committee (NWC) approved the revised list after reviewing over 700 petitions. According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, some complaints were successful and led to corrections. He said,
“We took our time to undertake a very thorough review of all the petitions that came after the primaries. There were over 700 petitions, and they were properly vetted. Some were successful and some were not. Those that were successful led to corrections in some constituencies.”
The Effects of The Updated List
The updated list affected seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives seats across Benue, Ondo, Kogi, Abia, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi states.
Several prominent politicians lost their tickets after the review. Former Benue governor Gabriel Suswam was replaced by Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende for Benue North East. Gbenga Elegbeleye also lost the Ondo North ticket to Olajide Ipinsagbe, while Adeniyi replaced Taiwo Fasorati in Ondo Central. Other beneficiaries include Sunday Karimi, Paul Ikonne and Shuaibu Isa Lau.
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Adams Oshiomhole, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele made the party’s final Senate list. APC also cleared Governors AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hope Uzodimma, Inuwa Yahaya and Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to contest Senate seats in 2027. Morka added,
“The appeal process had been concluded, and the candidates currently completing INEC documentation represent the APC’s final list.”
However, the revised list has created more tension within the party. In Abia, the state APC rejected the changes and released its own list. The chapter retained Uchenna Erondu and Chris Nkwonta despite their replacements by the national leadership. It also recognised Eric Opah as the party’s governorship candidate.
At the same time, a legal battle has started in Delta South. Prince Michael Diden is challenging Senator Joel Onowakpo’s emergence as the APC senatorial candidate. Diden claimed he scored the highest votes and accused Onowakpo of announcing “forged results.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 6 for the hearing. Meanwhile, APC chairman’s media aide, Abimbola Tooki, denied claims that the party secretly released a final list. He insisted the approved names were sent directly to state chapters after every petition was carefully reviewed.
