The correspondence, titled “Forwarding of Approved List of Senatorial and House of Representatives Candidates,” stated that the changes were made following recommendations by the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism after a comprehensive review of the nomination process.

The development is expected to reshape the APC’s National Assembly contests in the affected states as the party moves to resolve disputes arising from its primaries.

“We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives candidates’ constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee,” the letter read in part.

“Following the determination of Appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the Reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the NWC of the APC as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies.”

The ruling party further emphasized that the sudden replacements strictly complied with national electoral guidelines.

“In accordance with the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) and INEC’s regulations and guidelines, we hereby transmit the enclosed list of the approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action. Please accept the assurance of our highest regards,” the party leadership added.

A breakdown of the final senatorial list reveals massive upsets. In Benue North East, former Governor Gabriel Suswam was replaced by Emmanuel Memga Udende, while in Benue North West, Titus Tartenger Zam substituted Benjamin T. Aber.

In Ondo State, Gbenga Elegbeleye lost his Ondo North senatorial ticket to Olajide Ipinsagbe, just as Taiwo Fasorati was substituted by Adeniyi Adegbonmire for Ondo Central.

Other high-profile substitutions include Kogi West, where Senator Sunday Karimi replaced Aro Samuel Bamidele; Abia South, where Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu; and Taraba North, where Shuibu Isa Lau replaced Mohammed Kabir Bello.

The clean sweep heavily impacted House of Representatives tickets across the federation. In Benue State alone, five victorious candidates were swapped out, including Ikper Chris Terfa (Makurdi/Human), who was replaced by Dickson Tarkighir, and Livinus Tsar Adzor (Vandekiya/Konshsha), replaced by Sesoo Ikpagher.

Ondo State also recorded a high casualty rate, with six federal constituency tickets altered. Notably, Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke in the Ilaje/Ese-Ode Federal Constituency, and Festus Olarewaju took the place of Rasaq Obe in the Idanre Federal Constituency.

Similar substitutions were executed in Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna, and Ebonyi states as the APC finalizes its ranks ahead of the general elections.

In a letter addressed to INEC and jointly signed by APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, the party said the changes were made following the recommendations of its Primary Election Appeal Committee.

The letter is titled, ‘Forwarding of approved list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates’.

The letter read: “We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.

“Following the determination of appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the party’s NWC as its final position on the affected constituencies.

“In accordance with the amended Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations and guidelines, we hereby transmit the enclosed list of the approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

Meanwhile, Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, his deputy, Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno and Adams Oshiomhole received their Candidate Affidavit Forms (EC9).

Four state governors are among the candidates whose names were uploaded by the APC to the INEC portal. The four governors are AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe who had all been cleared by the party to contest Senate seats.

Also cleared are to contest Senate seats in Kaduna State are former Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero, Shehu Sani and Sunday Katung.

Former Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello secured the party’s ticket for the Kogi Central Senatorial District. He is among the 109 senatorial candidates running on the APC platform.

The uploading of candidates’ particulars, a continuous process, followed the ratification of the results of the April shadow polls and a review of the list in line with the outcome of the Primary Appeal Reports and INEC’S guidelines.

NAN reports that for the House of Representatives, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Mudashiru Obasa and James Faleke are among candidates to fly APC’s flag.

Political parties are expected to upload names and particulars of their presidential and National Assembly candidates on INEC’S nomination portal between 9 a.m from June 27, to 6p.m July 10, when the portal would be closed .

The documents to be uploaded include Form EC9, containing candidates’ personal particulars, and Forms EC9A, EC9B, EC9C, EC9D and EC9E, containing the names and lists of nominated candidates.

The commission had earlier conducted a two-day training for political party officials on the use of its Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP) ahead of the exercise, after which parties were issued access codes.

The training was conducted by officials of the commission’s ICT Department in line with its established practice of ensuring that stakeholders were properly prepared for electoral processes.

Prof. Ibrahim Sani, the acting Director-General of the Electoral Institute, had earlier said that candidate nomination was a fundamental stage of the electoral process.

He said the success of any election began with the proper nomination of candidates, adding that political parties must fully understand and comply with the legal and procedural requirements guiding the process.

According to Mr Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, the party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members on the ongoing process.

He, however said that the party’s priority was for all its candidates to complete their INEC nomination forms and have them uploaded to the commission’s portal.

He said those who emerged as the party’s candidates were being provided with the relevant forms for documentation.

“They are to complete and return the forms to the party for upload to the INEC portal, so, making the list public is not our priority now.

“Although we will eventually release the list, our immediate priority is to ensure that our candidates complete their forms and meet INEC’S deadline.

“This is more important to us than the public release of the candidates’ list. Those who are our candidates have, by now, received their forms.They already know themselves, there is no tension about that,” Morka said.

(NAN)

Among the successful senatorial candidates are Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), Prince Paul Ikonne (Abia South), Senator Emmanuel Udende (Benue Northeast), Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), Senator Titus Tartenger (Benue Northwest) and Senator Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo North).

Successful House of Representatives candidates include John Odimayo (Okitipupa/Irele Constituency), Abdulazeez Kaka (Kaduna North), Chief Samuel Okezie (Ukwa East/Ukwa West), Ekumankama Nkama (Afikpo North/Edda), Abubakar Abdullahi (Suleja/Tafa/Mokwa) and Festus Olarewaju (Idanre/Ifedore).

Others are Dr. Rafiu Ajakaye (Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency), Mohammed Mamman (Edu/Patigi/Moro) and Raheem Olawuyi (Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke Ero)

In a June 29 letter titled, “Forwarding of Approved List of Senatorial and House of Representatives Candidates,” signed by the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, the APC said the list was based on the reports of its Primary Appeal Committees.

The letter read, “Following the determination of appeals from the recently concluded primaries, the reports of the Appeal Committees were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies.

“In accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines, we hereby transmit the enclosed list of the approved candidates for the seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action.”

Oyo Candidates Receive Forms
APC National Assembly candidates in Oyo State also received their nomination forms in Abuja.

The candidates, who received Forms EC13D (Nomination) and EC9 (Affidavit in Support of Candidate’s Personal Particulars), are Senator Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central), Hon. Remi Oseni (Oyo South) and Mrs. Hannah Ogunesan (Oyo North).

The House of Representatives candidates are Bosun Oladele (Olorunsogo/Irepo/Oorelope), Tajudeen Kareem (Saki West/Saki East/Atisbo), Saheed Adejare Yusuf (Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa), Olamiju Alao-Akala (Ogbomosho North/Ogbomosho South/Oriire), and Olusegun Odebunmi (Ogo Oluwa/Surulere).

Others are Akeem Adeyemi (Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/Oyo West), Tolulope Akande Sadipe (Oluyole), Umar Farouk Alao-Arisekola (Ibadan North), Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo (Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West) and Ola Iyiola (Ibadan South-East/Ibadan North-East).

The rest are Sarafadeen Olaoniye (Ibarapa North/Ibarapa Central), Yusuf Asimiyu Osuolale (Ibarapa East/Ido), Olafisoye Akinmoyede (Akinyele/Lagelu), and Akin Alabi (Egbeda/Ona Ara).

According to The Nation, the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Ali, and his running mate would receive their forms on Thursday alongside other APC governorship candidates.

Speaking at the presentation, Yilwatda said the party found the primaries in Oyo State to be free and fair.

“We are here today to present INEC forms to the three senatorial candidates and 14 House of Representatives candidates from Oyo State,” he said.

“I congratulate you and wish you success in the coming elections,” he added.

Meanwhile, some aggrieved aspirants in Ondo State protested, alleging manipulation and calling on the party to address what they described as injustice.