Connect with us

Politics

APC Primaries: Governorship Aspirants Shun Consensus Deal In 10 states

Published

2 months ago

on

Lagos APC Inaugurates LG Poll Reconciliation Committee

Ahead of Thursday’s governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress, resistance to consensus arrangements has intensified in at least 10 states, as several aspirants rejected pressure to step down and insisted on testing their popularity at the polls.

The growing pushback comes despite efforts by party leaders and governors in many states to streamline the primaries through endorsements, negotiations, and consensus agreements aimed at avoiding divisive contests ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Investigations by The PUNCH showed that while incumbent governors in several APC-controlled states have successfully secured consensus backing for second-term tickets, succession battles in states such as Kwara, Gombe, Oyo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Lagos, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Yobe remain fiercely contested.

The APC had fixed the cost of its governorship expression of interest form at N10m and nomination form at N40m. Findings indicated that the ruling party generated about N5.05bn from the sale of forms to 101 governorship aspirants nationwide.

The party is scheduled to conduct governorship primaries in 28 states on Thursday, May 21, with direct primaries to be adopted in states where consensus arrangements fail. Appeals arising from the exercises are expected to be heard on May 24.

Consensus gains ground

Despite growing internal resistance in some chapters, no fewer than 11 governors and sole aspirants have already secured overwhelming backing from party structures.

Among those who emerged as consensus candidates are Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), and Ogbonna Nwifuru (Ebonyi).

Party leaders in those states described the arrangements as strategic moves to preserve internal stability and avoid unnecessary factional crises.

In Sokoto, a party stalwart, Abubakar Umar, said members had unanimously resolved to back Governor Ahmed Aliyu for a second term.

“We don’t have any other contestant apart from Governor Ahmed Aliyu. As was the case in the previous primaries, what remains is simply the ratification of his candidacy for another term,” he said.

Similarly, a Kebbi APC chieftain, Abdullahi Zuru, confirmed that Governor Nasir Idris had secured the backing of party stakeholders across the state.

“The party has agreed to present only the governor as its candidate. There is no opposition to his second-term ambition within the party,” he stated.

In Jigawa, the state APC chairman, MK Garba, said the party had settled for Governor Umar Namadi as its sole governorship aspirant.

“We don’t have any other contestant apart from Governor Umar Namadi. The process will simply ratify the consensus already reached by party leaders and members,” he explained.

Speaking on Tuesday in a telephone interview with The PUNCH, Garba said the party remains united in its support for the governor.

He explained that the process in Jigawa will mirror previous primaries where consensus was used to avoid rancour.

“As was the case in the other primaries we held before now, we will only have to confirm the ratification of his candidacy for a second term,” he said.

Kwara succession battle

However, consensus efforts have suffered major setbacks in Kwara State, where 15 aspirants are preparing to confront Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s preferred candidate, Amb Yahaya Seriki.

The governor had on Tuesday publicly endorsed Seriki as his preferred successor after what he described as “extensive consultations” with party leaders and stakeholders.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, AbdulRazaq said Seriki possessed the capacity and political reach required to sustain the administration’s achievements.

“Following extensive consultations with party structures and leadership, I am pleased to endorse Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as my preferred successor under the platform of our party, the APC,” the governor stated.

He described Seriki as “young, pro-people, astute and broad-minded,” adding that the businessman and political mobiliser enjoyed “profound investments and extensive goodwill among the people of Kwara State.”

The governor, however, stressed that his endorsement did not invalidate the ambitions of other aspirants.

“While this does not in any way preclude all other aspirants from contesting in the primaries, I urge members and leaders to affirm the choice of Seriki for cohesion, unity and continuous success of the party,” he added.

The endorsement was followed immediately by a flurry of approvals from grassroots leaders, top politicians, aspirants, and transport unions in the state.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Salihu Yakubu-Danladi, who stepped down from the race, congratulated Seriki over the endorsement and pledged to work for him.

NILD Director-General Prof. Abubakar Suleiman said he would no longer be participating in the race after the announcement.

The entire party structure is also poised to announce their support, with all the Local Government APC chairmen in Kwara Central and Kwara South having sent their endorsement for the nominee.

The Kwara State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria also congratulated Seriki, while key sociocultural platforms in Kwara Central sent their congratulations.

Kwara ALGON chairman, Abdullahi Danladi, said in a statement that “local government chairmen across the state are in full support of the governor’s decision.”

At least five strong party blocs are to hold various endorsement engagements for the nominee on Wednesday, practically guaranteeing his emergence at the primaries that are slated for Thursday.

Tens of thousands of party enthusiasts and supporters thronged the Tunde Idiagbon International Stadium, Ilorin to welcome Seriki just about three hours after his name was announced.

However, despite the endorsement, party sources told The PUNCH that several aspirants had rejected moves to step down, insisting on participating in Thursday’s direct primary election.

A senior party official in Ilorin, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said many aspirants believed the race should be decided democratically.

“The governor may have made his preference known, but many aspirants are not willing to surrender their ambitions. They believe the ticket should be determined through open contest and not predetermined arrangements,” the source said.

Kwara currently has the highest number of APC governorship aspirants in the country with 14 contenders, including former Senate Leader Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Muhammed Belgore (SAN), and Salihu Mustapha.

Others are Olufemi Sanni, Mohammed Bio, Dr. Alabi Tajudeen, Amb. Yahaya Abdulfatai, Tajudeen Abdulkadir, Azeez Muideen, Bashir Bolanrinwa, Ahmad Mahmoud, Yetunde Bello, Mahalia Pategi and Prof. Olawale Sulaiman.

Other states

Oyo State followed closely with 11 governorship aspirants, while Adamawa recorded 10 contenders, reflecting heightened political activity ahead of the primaries.

Notable aspirants include former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Senator Sharafadeen Alli; Akeem Agbaje and Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin.

Adamawa’s crowded field includes Abdulrazak Namdas, Mustapha Salihu, Senator Aminu Abbas, Abdurahaman  Haske, Felix Tangwami, Joel Madaki, Bello Ibrahim and three others.

Bauchi also recorded eight aspirants, among them the immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, and former governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.

In Abia State, the party recorded four aspirants namely Mascot Uzor-Kalu, Henry Ikoh, Martins Azubuike, and Opah Chinemeucheya.

Benue State has four aspirants – Mathias Byuan, Kuraun Isaac, Akutah Ukeyima and Terwase Orbunde – vying for the state’s top job against Governor Hyacinth Alia.

Gombe State recorded two aspirants – Senator Sa’id Alkali, who is vying against Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s preferred candidate Jamil Gwamna.

Party insiders said the large number of aspirants in the affected states reflected unresolved zoning interests, succession calculations, and dissatisfaction among stakeholders over attempts to impose preferred candidates.

In Plateau State, one of the two governorship aspirants, retired military officer Yilcini Bida, dismissed reports that he had stepped down for Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

Speaking on Tuesday, Bida insisted he was fully in the race and was prepared to challenge the incumbent governor at the primary.

“I want to inform the people of Plateau State that I am still in the race. Rumours are flying around that I have stepped down, but I remain fully committed to contesting the primary on Thursday,” he said.

Bida said his administration, if elected, would focus heavily on infrastructure renewal, economic development, and security reforms.

“On the lighting project alone, we intend to spend N1tn within one year. We are also proposing the construction of 40km of road in each local government area,” he said.

On insecurity, the retired officer promised to strengthen Operation Rainbow, the state-owned security outfit.

“As a former military officer, I understand what it takes to restore peace and security in the state. We plan to recruit personnel from rural communities to improve operational efficiency,” he added.

Bida said he was confident of winning the primary despite facing an incumbent governor.

Lagos succession permutations

Political negotiations also intensified in Lagos State as aspirants continued to align behind Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

One of the governorship aspirants, Samuel Ajose, formally withdrew from the race on Tuesday and announced his support for Hamzat.

Ajose described the decision as painful but necessary for party unity.

“I know it is a very tough decision. I struggled with it overnight, but when I woke up in the morning, I had my peace,” he said.

“In the interest of the party, I have decided to step aside and support Hamzat. We are going to be part of his campaign and play an important role,” he added.

His withdrawal came weeks after former PDP governorship candidate Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, also stepped down and endorsed Hamzat following consultations with APC leaders.

Jandor said his withdrawal followed the endorsement of Hamzat by President Bola Tinubu and APC leaders in Lagos State.

“Following the endorsement of Dr. Kadiri Hamzat by our leader, the President of Nigeria, and leaders of our party in Lagos, and in recognition of the prevailing realities within the political landscape of our great party, I have decided to withdraw from the 2027 Lagos State gubernatorial race,” Jandor had said.

The former PDP governorship candidate described the decision as a sacrifice made for party cohesion and unity, while pledging loyalty to the APC leadership structure.

However, businessman and politician Lanre Jim-Kamal, who formally declared his intention to contest the APC Lagos governorship ticket last month, has reportedly not stepped down from the race.

Jim-Kamal, who made his declaration in Ikeja before party leaders, supporters and political stakeholders, also introduced a five-point agenda and a claimed $50bn partners’ investment proposal for the state.

Consensus deal

An APC list obtained by The PUNCH showed that several states recorded only one governorship aspirant, highlighting stronger consensus structures in those chapters.

These include Akwa Ibom, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Ogun and Zamfara.

Political analysts within the party said the contrasting developments across states underscored the APC’s challenge of balancing internal democracy with political stability ahead of the 2027 elections.

A party source at the national secretariat noted that while consensus remained the preferred option of the leadership, resistance from aspirants in several states could trigger intense primaries and deepen internal divisions if not properly managed.

“The party leadership wants consensus because it reduces conflict and litigation, but many aspirants believe they have invested too much politically and financially to simply step down. That is why some states are becoming battlegrounds,” the source said.

Related Topics:
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics

2027 Election Shock: Three Parties Miss INEC Deadline, Presidential Ambitions in Jeopardy

Published

2 hours ago

on

July 15, 2026

By

Three political parties failed to submit their presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, which closed at 11:59 pm on Tuesday.

This was confirmed by an INEC official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter.

Daily voice understands that the affected parties are the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Nyesom Wike, and the Labour Party (LP) faction led by Nenadi Usman.

“As of now, only about three political parties are yet to upload the names of their presidential and running mate candidates. They are APGA, the PDP (Wike faction) and the LP (Nenadi faction). Virtually every other party has filed its candidates,” the official said as quoted by Daily Trust.

The commission had warned that no further extension would be granted.

Apart from the three parties said to have missed the deadline for uploading their candidates, the INEC official said almost all registered political parties have successfully uploaded the names of their candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The 2027 presidential election is scheduled to be held on Saturday, 16th January.

Continue Reading

Politics

Niger Governor Bago Announces Running Mate For 2027 Election

Published

4 hours ago

on

July 15, 2026

By

Niger State Governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, has officially confirmed that he will retain his Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election, putting to rest speculation surrounding the composition of his re-election ticket. Government

Governor Bago made the announcement on Tuesday during a gathering at the Government House in Minna, where he declared that Garba would remain his deputy on the 2027 ticket. He further disclosed that Garba’s name would be submitted alongside his to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by law.

The governor explained that the Nigerian Constitution mandates every governorship candidate to nominate a deputy when submitting nomination forms to INEC. He noted that recent rumours had created uncertainty over his choice of running mate, prompting him to publicly reaffirm Garba’s position.

Bago stated that the decision was intended to end months of speculation and reassure party members and supporters that Yakubu Garba remains his preferred deputy for the next electoral cycle.

Continue Reading

Politics

Muslim- Muslim Ticket: Former Speaker Breaks Silence on Dumping APC

Published

9 hours ago

on

July 15, 2026

By

APC Schedules July 24 NEC For Ganduje Replacement

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has dismissed reports that he plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

Naija News reports that Dogara described the reports as false and politically motivated, insisting that he remained a loyal member of the ruling party.

The clarification was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Dr Dominic Alancha.

According to the statement, the former Speaker is committed to working for the victory of the APC and the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Alancha said reports suggesting that Dogara was considering leaving the party were deliberately fabricated to create tension within the APC.

He said, “We wish to state categorically that these claims are false, baseless, and deliberately intended to mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension.

“Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara remains a committed and loyal member of the All Progressives Congress. He has neither resigned from the party nor expressed any intention to do so.”

The spokesperson accused unnamed individuals of attempting to exploit the reports to cause division among members of the party.

“Reports suggesting otherwise are the handiwork of mischief makers seeking to sow division within the APC,” the statement added.

Dogara Committed To APC Victory

Alancha said Dogara was already working with party leaders and members to strengthen the APC ahead of the next general election.

The statement read, “As a statesman and experienced democrat, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara remains steadfast in his commitment to the unity, growth, and success of the APC.

“He is fully dedicated to working with party leaders, members, and supporters across the country to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

The statement stressed that Dogara’s political focus remained on supporting the ruling party and contributing to its electoral success.

Dogara also pledged his support for Tinubu’s bid for a second term, according to the statement.

 

“Furthermore, Rt. Hon. Dogara is committed to supporting the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ensuring the victory of the APC in the 2027 general election,” Alancha stated.

He added that the former Speaker remained focused on promoting good governance, national unity and development under the APC-led administration.

Alancha urged members of the public and the media to disregard unverified reports about Dogara’s political future.

He added, “We urge members of the public and the media to disregard the fake reports and rely only on verified information from credible and official sources.

“Those behind these unfounded allegations should desist from spreading falsehoods capable of undermining the unity of our great party

Continue Reading

Trending