Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, is facing mounting internal tensions after more than 150 aspirants were reportedly disqualified during pre-primary screening exercises across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The screening process, designed to streamline candidates before party primaries, has instead triggered protests, resignations, legal threats, and accusations of political imposition, exposing widening divisions within the governing party.
Party insiders and aggrieved aspirants in states including Kano State, Rivers State, Kaduna State, Benue State, Taraba State and Plateau State have accused party leaders of manipulating consensus arrangements and sidelining grassroots contenders.
The controversy comes at a sensitive political moment as the APC seeks to preserve party unity while consolidating support ahead of the next election cycle in Africa’s largest economy.
Consensus Arrangements Spark Backlash
In several states, screening outcomes were reportedly influenced by consensus deals brokered by senior party figures, leading to allegations that loyal party members were unfairly excluded.
In Taraba State, youth groups and party stakeholders rejected the endorsement of Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau for another term, describing his performance as unimpressive and warning against “imposed candidacies.”
In Kano State, at least 20 aspirants contesting Senate and legislative seats were screened out despite earlier negotiations. The eventual endorsement of former governor Ibrahim Shekarau intensified tensions, with critics arguing that long-standing party loyalists were sacrificed for political expediency.
The situation has also generated resistance in Kaduna State, where attempts to promote activist and former senator Shehu Sani as a consensus candidate reportedly sparked opposition from rival camps.
Defections and Legal Threats Emerge
The fallout has already led to high-profile resignations and defections.
Former Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Isah Idris, resigned from the APC after being disqualified and subsequently defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
In Ebonyi State, Senate aspirant Christian Nwali also quit the party following disputes linked to consensus arrangements.
Meanwhile, in Anambra State, the APC expelled about 30 members — including aspirants — over lawsuits filed against the party, underscoring the increasingly confrontational nature of the disputes.
Several affected aspirants are now preparing petitions and potential court challenges, raising concerns about prolonged legal battles that could destabilise party structures in key states.
Rivers APC Appeal Panel Receives Multiple Petitions
The most dramatic fallout has emerged in Rivers State, where 65 aspirants were disqualified during House of Assembly screening exercises.
According to the party’s appeal panel chairman, human rights lawyer Abdul Mahmud, the committee had already received numerous petitions from aggrieved aspirants challenging the decisions.
Mahmud criticised the party’s communication process, noting that many aspirants reportedly learned of their disqualification through social media rather than formal notification channels.
The controversy has intensified fears of deeper factional disputes in Rivers, one of Nigeria’s most politically strategic oil-producing states.
Analysts Warn of Risks to APC Cohesion
Political analysts say the growing disputes highlight the challenge facing the APC as it attempts to balance party control with internal democracy.
The increasing use of consensus candidacies, combined with opaque screening processes, could fuel anti-party activities, defections, and voter dissatisfaction ahead of the 2027 elections.
Analysts also warn that unresolved grievances in influential states could weaken the APC’s electoral machinery and complicate efforts to maintain national dominance.
While party leaders are pursuing reconciliation talks in several states, observers believe the outcome of the appeals process will determine whether the APC can contain the crisis before its primaries begin in earnest.
For international investors and political observers, the internal instability within Nigeria’s ruling party may also become a key indicator of the country’s broader political climate ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Source: Punc The Punch