Says some members may have a reason to be dissatisfied
In an apparent move to avoid litigation that could destabilise it ahead of the 2027 general election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to aggrieved aspirants from the recently held primaries not to pursue court action against the party.
While APC has not made a public statement to plead with the concerned aspirants, there are indications that the party is doing so in a subtle manner.
APC sent shockwaves through the political sphere when the list of its candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general election became public.
The list of candidates for Senate and House of Representatives seats was contained in a letter jointly signed by the APC national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and the national secretary, Dr Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru.
The list, covering seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies across the nine states of Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi, was issued following the conclusion of the work of the party’s appeals committee, which addressed complaints arising from the primary elections.
Consequently, 26 high-profile aspirants, including former governors and members of the National Assembly who had emerged as candidates in the primaries, were replaced by new flag-bearers in the affected constituencies.
In the letter to INEC, the APC said the replacements followed the recommendations of the party’s Primary Election Appeals Committee, adding that the exercise complied with the Electoral Act 2026 and INEC guidelines.
Prominent among those dropped are Sen. Gabriel Suswam (Benue North East), who was replaced by Sen. Emmanuel Udende; a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs, Benjamin Aber (Benue North West), who was replaced by Sen. Titus Zam; and Aro Samuel Bamidele, who was replaced by Sen. Sunday Karimi, the serving senator representing Kogi West.
Similarly, Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu in Abia South; Shuaibu Isa Lau replaced Mohammed Kabir Bello in Taraba North; Adeniyi Adegbonmire replaced Taiwo Fasoranti in Ondo Central; and Olajide Ipinsagba replaced Gbenga Elegbeleye in Ondo North.
In the House of Representatives, Benue recorded several changes. In Makurdi/Guma, Hon. Dickson Tarkighir replaced Ikper Chris Terfa; in Vandeikya/Konshisha, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher replaced Livinus Tsar Adzor; in Kwande/Ushongo, Hon. Terser Ugbor replaced Kohol Shedrach Iornem; in Buruku, Hon. Sekav Iyortyom replaced Gideon Inyom; while in Gwer East/Gwer West, Hon. Austin Asema Achado replaced Nongo David.
For the Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Peter Abel Diah replaced Sanusi Mohammed Galadima.
In Suleja/Tafa/Gurara (Niger), Abubakar Lado Abdullahi replaced Adamu Tanko. In Lavun/Edati/Mokwa (Niger), Adamu Suleiman replaced Adamu Usman.
In Ekiti/Irepodun/Oke-Ero (Kwara), Raheem Tunji Olawuyi replaced Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi, while in Edu/Patigi/Moro (Kwara), Mohammed Mamman replaced Bello Tauheed Abubakar.
Ondo State recorded a major shake-up in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, where Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke.
In Idanre, Festus Olarewaju replaced Rasaq Obe; in Owo/Ose, Oluwatimehin Akintomide replaced Kayode Ijalana; in Okitipupa/Irele, Okunjinmi John Odimayo replaced Olumuyiwa Daramola; in Ondo West/Ondo East, Michel Olamidotun Akintomide replaced Abiola Makinde; while in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo, Festus Ayodele Adefiranye replaced Oyerinmade Matthew.
Also, in Kaduna North, Abdulazeez Kaka replaced Samaila Abdu Suleiman; in Ukwa East/Ukwa West (Abia), Samuel Okezie replaced Chris Nkwonta; while in Afikpo North/Edda (Ebonyi), Ekumankama Joseph Nkama replaced Hon. Iduma Igariwey Enwo, Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations Committee.
After the appeals reports were considered and the revised list forwarded to INEC, the APC concluded its internal nomination process.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, who gave this indication during a recent chat with journalists, said the party’s priority then was to ensure that all its candidates completed their INEC nomination forms for upload to the electoral umpire’s portal.
Morka disclosed that the party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved contestants who felt shortchanged by the internal electoral process across various constituencies.
