APC scrambles to fix post-primaries fallout in 7 states ahead of 2027 candidate submission
By Victor Idajili
With INEC’s deadline for uploading candidates drawing close, the All Progressives Congress is re-examining its primary winners in several key states. The goal: douse tension and avoid presenting weak candidates that could cost the party in 2027.
The crises are most intense in Kwara, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Benue, Rivers and Bauchi. While most sitting governors seeking second terms got tickets — except Rivers’ Siminalayi Fubara — the fallout from primaries for Senate, House of Reps and governorship seats is threatening APC’s chances.
President Bola Tinubu, the party’s national leader, is said to be monitoring the situation closely and pushing for quick resolution. Party officials have set up base at a private office in Abuja to do a state-by-state review of the disputes.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has also met with Tinubu and is optimistic the issues will be sorted soon. Akpabio joked at an Ekiti campaign event that delayed release of final primary results is giving senators “hypertension” and urged the NWC to carry sitting lawmakers along.
INEC’s timetable leaves little room for error. The online nomination portal for presidential and National Assembly candidates opens June 27 and closes July 11, 2026. Governorship and State Assembly portals run July 18 to August 8. Final candidate lists will be published Sept 12 for federal elections and Oct 10 for state elections.
What’s happening state by state
Bauchi: Former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar was seen as the frontrunner, but ex-governor Mohammed Abubakar won the governorship ticket with 57,517 votes to Tuggar’s 26,001. Some party members doubt Abubakar’s grassroots strength, pointing to his 2019 loss to PDP’s Bala Mohammed.
Benue: The rift between Governor Hyacinth Alia and SGF George Akume is APC’s biggest headache. After a Tinubu-brokered truce that was supposed to see Alia return as candidate and federal lawmakers keep their seats, Alia only gave Akume’s wife a House of Reps ticket and handed Senate tickets to ex-governor Gabriel Suswam and Rep Francis Agbo. His own supporters dominate the State Assembly list. Akume’s camp is angry and threatening to work against the governor, though both sides still back Tinubu for president.
Kwara: The governorship primary tension has cooled, but Senate and House tickets remain contentious. Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar, who ran for governor, and Senator Lola Ashiru are both in limbo. There’s also a petition over the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun House of Reps primary. A bigger problem: Senator Saliu Mustapha reportedly gave up governorship ambition on the understanding he’d get Kwara Central Senate ticket back. Now he has neither ticket, which party insiders call “a gamble” that could trigger protest votes against the governor in Kwara Central.
Nasarawa: Quiet on the surface, but disgruntled aspirants are plotting legal battles. Governor Abdullahi Sule’s anointed candidate, Senator Aliyu Wadada, defected from SDP to APC on the Senate floor after emerging as choice. Opponents say the defection timing is a problem and want concessions or they’ll fight it out in court.
Rivers: The party is studying an Appeal Court ruling on who controls the state APC structure. The Emeka Beke faction says the court voided Tony Okocha’s exco actions. APC disagrees, arguing the ruling only affected congresses, not the primary that produced Kingsley Chinda as governorship candidate. Complication: Chinda resigned from PDP after winning APC’s ticket — a high-profile defection that mirrors Wadada’s case.
Adamawa: NSA Nuhu Ribadu reportedly brokered a truce between party factions and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri. But questions remain over the Senate ticket for Adamawa Central, where ex-APC North-East Vice Chairman Mustapha Salihu got the nod over long-time aspirant Aliyu Abdulhameed. Abdulhameed has accepted it, but party sources warn voters there are “rebellious” and may vote elsewhere. Mustapha was also booed at a North-East zonal meeting for opposing VP Shettima’s retention for 2027.
Taraba: Governor Agbu Kefas won the governorship ticket, beating ex-Minister Muazu Jaji. Since then, heavyweights have been defecting in droves. “APC, no doubt is bleeding in Taraba,” a source said.
“It’s about winning, not just primaries”
A top APC source said the NWC is “overwhelmed with petitions from 31 states” and the real challenge goes beyond the committee. “We may have to consult President Tinubu on candidates that can win 2027 elections. We don’t want to present weak candidates.”
The party’s fear is that governors sidelined strong, popular aspirants for Senate and House seats, putting those races at risk. The emerging strategy is a “win-win formula” — accommodate aggrieved aspirants where possible to keep the party united.
Party leaders insist no state is being taken for granted, especially Benue. “We know who is in charge of APC in Benue State, we cannot afford to lose the state. The President has more than a passing interest in Benue. Our position is that no winner takes it all,” a chieftain said.
With the nomination portal opening in days, APC has a narrow window to balance governor influence, aggrieved aspirants’ demands, and the hard math of electability.
