The ruling All Progressives Congress has been plunged into a deep internal crisis following its House of Representatives primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections, with at least 26 serving lawmakers losing their return tickets across several states. The primaries, marred by allegations of manipulation, imposition and engineered consensus arrangements, exposed widening divisions within the party as governors, political godfathers and rival blocs battled for control of candidacies.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, confirmed that 14 aspirants were disqualified during the screening process because they “failed to scale the party’s screening exercise conducted in line with established procedures and guidelines.” Among those disqualified were serving lawmakers Iduma Igariwey, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, Anderson Allison and Boma Goodhead, while several other aspirants also lost out under controversial circumstances.
In Rivers State, the disqualifications deepened the ongoing power struggle between camps loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and allies of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. Former Deputy Governor Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo and other figures linked to Wike were cleared, while allies of Fubara, including former Secretary to the State Government Dr Tammy Danagogo, were disqualified. Party insiders alleged the screening exercise was being used “to settle political scores ahead of 2027.”
One of the biggest shocks emerged in Edo State, where House Leader Julius Ihonvbere lost his Owan Federal Constituency ticket to former commissioner Andrew Ijegbai. Rejecting the outcome, Ihonvbere declared, “I did not lose the election. They did not even come to the field. They wrote some meaningless results and abused the returning officer to make an announcement.” Another lawmaker, Esosa Iyawe, also alleged irregularities and violence after losing his ticket, insisting, “The process fell far short of the democratic standards and directives laid down by President Bola Tinubu.”
Tensions also erupted in Kwara and Ogun states, where several incumbents accused party leaders of orchestrating predetermined outcomes. In Kwara, Tijani Kayode questioned the legitimacy of the exercise after reportedly scoring zero votes, asking, “Did they conduct an election in the first place?” In Ogun, Deputy Chief Whip Isiaka Ibrahim accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of imposing candidates through an “affirmation” process. “There was no primary election in my federal constituency,” he alleged. “I did not lose my primary election because none existed.”
In Imo State, four serving lawmakers lost their return tickets under the APC’s Option A4 voting system, despite assurances from Governor Hope Uzodimma that the exercise would ensure transparency and fairness. One of the affected lawmakers, Miriam Onuoha, accepted the outcome, saying, “I am a loyal party woman, and I’m loyal to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. The party is supreme.” However, in Lagos, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa displaced incumbent Hameed Adewale in Agege Federal Constituency, while other aspirants rejected the results as fabricated.
Ekiti State witnessed some of the fiercest backlash after three serving lawmakers lost their tickets amid allegations of violence and result manipulation. The contest involving House spokesperson Akin Rotimi was declared inconclusive because of irregularities. Lawmaker Akinlayo Kolawole described the process as “a disgrace to democracy,” adding, “There was no election. Figures were written in most areas.” Another aspirant, Teju Okuyiga, accused party leaders of undermining inclusion and gender representation, saying, “The exercise was a sham and fell far short of the minimum standards for a free, fair and credible party primary.”
Violence turned deadly in Plateau State after a resident, Sani Abdullahi, was killed during unrest linked to delays in the APC primary election in Mangu Local Government Area. Eyewitnesses said frustrated youths protested the absence of electoral officers before clashes broke out with security operatives. “The security personnel then started shooting, and a stray bullet hit the victim, killing him,” a resident, Ibrahim Sale, recounted. Outspoken lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi also lost his bid for renomination in the state.
In Benue State, the rivalry between Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume dominated the primaries, with most victorious candidates aligned with the governor. The outcome dealt a major blow to Akume’s camp, although his wife, Regina Akume, retained her ticket. The primaries also reignited controversy over alleged automatic ticket arrangements, which Governor Alia publicly rejected, insisting there would be “no automatic ticket for any aspirant.”
Across Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa and Kogi states, consensus arrangements sidelined several incumbents and sparked complaints from aggrieved aspirants. In Gombe, APC aspirant Alfred-John Attajiri rejected the declaration of results in Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency, insisting, “The announcement of results for an election that was never held is a direct assault on democracy.” Similar allegations of fabricated results and manipulated exercises also emerged in Adamawa, Nasarawa and Cross River states.
Despite the widespread controversies, some APC leaders defended the process as transparent and peaceful. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu secured a third-term ticket in Abia State and praised party members for endorsing him. In Cross River, Victor Abang emerged victorious after a direct primary that stakeholders described as credible and reflective of internal democracy. Still, the growing wave of litigation threats and accusations of exclusion has left the APC facing one of its most serious internal crises ahead of the 2027 elections.
