The ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, has firmly shut down calls for a review of its recently concluded primary election results, signaling that the race for the 2027 general elections has entered a decisive phase. Despite mounting protests, petitions, and allegations of irregularities from disappointed aspirants across several states, party leaders have reportedly concluded all internal processes and are moving ahead with the submission of candidates’ names to the electoral authorities.
According to reports, the APC has finalized its candidate list and is preparing to upload the names of successful aspirants to the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the official deadline. Senior party officials insist that the period for appeals has elapsed and that there is no ongoing plan to revisit the outcome of the primaries.
The decision comes amid widespread dissatisfaction among several party members who lost out during the primaries conducted in May. Across states including Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Kogi, Zamfara, Plateau, and Osun, aggrieved aspirants have accused party power brokers of manipulating the process, imposing candidates, and sidelining grassroots preferences. Some had hoped that intervention from higher authorities within the party would lead to fresh primaries or adjustments to controversial outcomes. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Party insiders, however, maintain that most of the petitions submitted lacked merit and failed to provide sufficient grounds for overturning declared results. According to officials familiar with the appeals process, only a very small percentage of complaints were considered valid enough to warrant attention, while the overwhelming majority were dismissed as either procedural disputes or issues that should have been resolved before the primaries took place.
One of the most talked-about disputes emerged in Delta State, where challenges were reportedly raised against the emergence of former governor Ifeanyi Okowa. Questions were also raised in Rivers State over the emergence of governorship candidates, with some aspirants questioning eligibility and party membership requirements. APC officials have nonetheless insisted that such matters fall within the party’s internal jurisdiction and do not constitute grounds for overturning primary results.
The controversy surrounding the primaries has been amplified by the sheer number of political heavyweights who failed to secure return tickets. More than 50 serving federal lawmakers reportedly lost their bids to return to the National Assembly, reflecting the intense competition and shifting power dynamics within the party ahead of 2027.
Meanwhile, speculation that President Bola Tinubu may intervene to alter some of the disputed outcomes has been dismissed by members of the party’s leadership. Officials argue that any intervention would have occurred before the primaries and insist that neither the Presidency nor party leaders are considering a reversal of the announced outcomes. They also stressed that results from politically sensitive states, including Lagos, remain intact and unchanged.
Despite the official position, many dissatisfied aspirants remain hopeful that last-minute political negotiations could still influence events before the final submission of candidates. Some have warned that unresolved grievances could weaken party unity and potentially affect APC’s electoral fortunes in 2027 if not properly managed. Political analysts have also cautioned that lingering resentment from the primaries could create opportunities for opposition parties to attract disaffected members.
With the APC leadership insisting that the chapter on primary elections has effectively closed, attention is now shifting toward reconciliation efforts aimed at preventing defections and internal divisions. Whether the party can successfully unite its various factions before the 2027 elections may ultimately determine whether the current controversy becomes a minor political storm or a major challenge to its future electoral ambitions.
