By Chibuzo Ukaibe, James Kwen, Anayo Onukwugha, Angela Nkwo-Akpolu
There is growing anxiety among aspirants seeking the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to contest the National Assembly, governorship, and presidential elections in the 2027 polls.
This followed the ruling party’s inability to release the results of the screening exercise held over the weekend as scheduled.
According to the party’s timetable and schedule for the 2027 general election, the results of the screening exercise were expected to be released yesterday.
APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, had recently stated that the “publication of screened aspirants” was scheduled for “Wednesday, 13 May 2026.”
While the results for the State Houses of Assembly had been released, those for the National Assembly, governorship and presidential aspirants had yet to be made public as of the close of work on Wednesday.
However, the APC timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election showed that primary elections would commence on Friday, 15 May, with the House of Representatives primaries, followed by the Senate primaries on 18 May 2026.
The primaries will continue with governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on 21 May, while the presidential primary is scheduled for 23 May 2026.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had given political parties until 30 May 2026 to conduct primaries and resolve disputes arising from them.
The APC concluded the screening exercise on Sunday, especially for aspirants contesting the 469 National Assembly seats, comprising 360 House of Representatives seats and 109 Senate seats, as well as 28 governorship positions and one presidential ticket.
A top party source confided in LEADERSHIP that the party was mindful of the sensitive circumstances surrounding the screening exercise, noting that “we are aware of pressures from certain quarters to tamper with the exercise.”
The source added that the party was aware of the anxiety caused by the delay but said the leadership was working in the “overall interest of party members.”
Reacting, former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla, told LEADERSHIP that, “I wouldn’t know why the national party has not released the screening results. But here in Cross River State, the party is trying to pressure aspirants to step down for favoured aspirants under the guise of consensus.
“APC in Cross River State must understand that coercing aspirants to sign purported consent agreements to accept consensus candidates, without complying with the provisions of Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2026, is void ab initio.
“I am particularly concerned about the Yakurr I State Constituency and the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency. APC cannot impose candidates under any guise; otherwise, there will be a boomerang effect,” he said.
Also reacting, a party chieftain, Dominic Alancha, said, “I don’t think there is any cause for alarm. I believe the screening committee is compiling its report, which will be submitted soon.”
Please remember that the APC had waived the screening requirement for President Bola Tinubu but subjected other presidential aspirants, including Osifo Stanley, as well as serving governors seeking re-election and those aspiring to Senate seats, to screening.
Those screened included Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Pastor Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Mohammed Umaru Bago (Niger), Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto).
Governorship aspirants seeking fresh elections who also appeared for screening included Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; Yusuf Tuggar (Bauchi); Senator Mustapha Saliu (Kwara); Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun); AbdulFatai Yahaya (Kwara); Dr Bakari Girei (Adamawa); Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa); David Kente (Taraba); Mascot Uzor-Kalu (Abia); Prof. Isa Pantami (Gombe); Mustapha Salihu (Adamawa); Geoffrey Kuraun (Benue); Terwase Orbunde (Benue); and former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar Adamu (rtd.) from Nasarawa.
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP checks revealed that APC aspirants at the state level are also anxious over the outcome of the screening exercise. Most aspirants who were screened out of the primaries declined to comment to reporters, noting that they had filed appeals and would wait for the process to conclude before speaking publicly.
