2027: Fresh Crisis Brews In APC Over Revised National Assembly List
Fresh cracks have emerged within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the submission of its revised list of National Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with aggrieved aspirants heading to court and party stakeholders demanding a review of controversial substitutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The latest dispute has triggered legal battles and renewed agitation in several states, as party members challenge the outcome of the APC's primary elections and the subsequent changes made to the candidates' list.
Despite the mounting tension, the APC has insisted that the matter remains an internal affair and is being addressed through the party's established mechanisms.
One of the aggrieved aspirants, former senator for Ekiti North Senatorial District, Ayo Arise, confirmed that he had already approached the court to challenge the outcome of the senatorial primary, maintaining that he legitimately won the contest.
According to Arise, his decision to seek judicial intervention immediately after the primary was informed by the timelines stipulated in the Electoral Act, adding that he had anticipated the eventual omission of his name from the APC's final list.
“I went ahead and filed my case in court because I knew what was coming. That is why I was not surprised at the outcome. This is not about me; it is about ensuring that we have a system that works for everybody,” Arise said.
He expressed confidence that the court would determine whether the party complied with its own guidelines and maintained that he would eventually reclaim the ticket based on what he described as his clear victory at the primary election.
The controversy has also spread to Ondo State, where political stakeholders in Okeigbo, within Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area, are demanding fresh representation for the Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
In a statement issued in Abuja by APC chieftain Fayemisi Tosin, the stakeholders said dissatisfaction with the constituency's current representation had fuelled calls for a lawmaker capable of attracting federal projects and giving the constituency stronger representation at the National Assembly.
According to Tosin, many constituents who initially placed high hopes on the incumbent lawmaker now believe those expectations have not been fulfilled, citing poor infrastructure, inadequate federal presence, youth unemployment and the absence of impactful constituency projects. She specifically pointed to the deteriorating Okeigbo-Ifetedo Bridge linking Ondo and Osun State as evidence of neglect.
The stakeholders consequently endorsed Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi, who contested the APC House of Representatives primary for the constituency, urging the party's national leadership to recognise her as the rightful candidate.
The unrest follows extensive revisions to the APC's National Assembly candidates' list, which resulted in the replacement of several aspirants after recommendations from the party's Primary Election Appeal Committee.
Among those affected were former Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam and former House of Representatives member Gbenga Elegbeleye.
The changes were formally communicated to INEC through a letter jointly signed by APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, who stated that the substitutions received the approval of the party's National Working Committee after reviewing appeals arising from the primaries.
Beyond the Senate, the APC also replaced 19 House of Representatives candidates across Benue, Kogi State, Ondo, Taraba State, Niger State, Kwara State, Kaduna State, Abia State and Ebonyi State, with Benue accounting for the highest number of substitutions.
Reacting to the development, APC chieftain Cletus Obun cautioned the party against substituting candidates who did not emerge from valid primaries monitored by INEC.
“If anybody anywhere in the party wants to undo the party by sabotaging it using this level of subterfuge of importing candidates, then we will look at him and know that he is just nothing but a saboteur," Obun said.
He recalled the precedent in Zamfara State, where the APC lost all elective positions through court judgments after fielding candidates who failed to emerge from valid primaries, warning that the party must avoid repeating similar mistakes.
Obun, who disclosed that he was unsuccessful during the appeal process in Cross River State despite years of service to the party, described himself as "very, very injured" by the outcome but reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC.
He also urged the party to immediately establish a reconciliation committee to address the growing grievances among members across the country, warning that unresolved disputes could undermine the APC’s chances as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.