Fresh tension has erupted within the All Progressives Congress ahead of its governorship primaries as several aspirants in at least 10 states openly rejected consensus arrangements being pushed by party leaders and governors, insisting on direct contests to determine candidates for the 2027 general elections. The growing resistance has exposed widening cracks within the ruling party as fierce power struggles intensify across different state chapters.
According to findings, the APC leadership had attempted to reduce internal conflicts by encouraging consensus candidacies in several states, but many governorship hopefuls refused to step down, arguing that party democracy must be respected. The disagreement has reportedly turned states such as Kwara, Lagos, Oyo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Rivers, Gombe, and Yobe into major battlegrounds ahead of the primaries scheduled for Thursday.
In Kwara State, which reportedly has the highest number of APC governorship aspirants, about 14 politicians are battling for the party’s ticket. The crowded field includes former Senate Leader Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Muhammed Belgore (SAN), Salihu Mustapha, and several other influential figures determined to test their popularity at the polls rather than submit to consensus arrangements. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Oyo State also emerged as another flashpoint with 11 aspirants reportedly vying for the governorship ticket. Among the prominent contenders are former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, Akeem Agbaje, and Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin. Sources within the party disclosed that negotiations aimed at producing a consensus candidate have failed to gain acceptance among the major aspirants.
In Lagos State, the battle over succession politics has become increasingly intense following the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat by influential party stakeholders and members of the Governance Advisory Council. However, some aspirants strongly opposed the move, insisting that consensus can only stand if every contestant willingly agrees to it. Governorship aspirant Samuel Ajose accused some party leaders of attempting to impose a preferred candidate and avoid a transparent primary election.
Ajose argued that the APC constitution clearly supports primary elections and maintained that aspirants should be allowed to test their strength politically rather than being pressured into stepping down. He also dismissed reports suggesting that the endorsements reflected the position of President Bola Tinubu, insisting that no formal consensus meeting involving all aspirants had been held.
Despite the growing resistance in several states, consensus arrangements reportedly succeeded in some APC chapters where only one governorship aspirant emerged. States such as Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun, Sokoto, Cross River, Delta, and Zamfara were said to have experienced smoother negotiations with fewer internal disputes.
Investigations further revealed that the APC generated billions of naira from the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms nationwide. Reports indicated that the party earned approximately N5.05bn from the sale of governorship forms to over 100 aspirants across the country, highlighting the intense political interest surrounding the upcoming elections.
Political analysts have warned that the growing rejection of consensus deals could deepen internal divisions within the ruling party if not carefully managed. Many aspirants reportedly believe they have invested too much financially and politically to surrender their ambitions without a contest, a situation observers fear may trigger defections, legal battles, and prolonged crises after the primaries.
