Party says no appeal, may penalise resentful members
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has echoed a version of the biblical parable of the ‘Workers in the Vineyard’, whose central message is that “the first shall be last” in the Nigerian political space.
What started as a rumour and spread like wildfire across social media and later into mainstream media as Nigerians woke up on Monday became a reality when some previously declared winners of the party’s recently conducted primaries, especially for National Assembly seats, suddenly became losers.
The development came barely 48 hours after the APC stated that it had not released the official list of successful candidates from the primaries held recently.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, in a statement on Saturday stamped “FAKE NEWS” in red, advised the public to disregard any publication or report purporting to announce the outcome of the primaries, describing such information as false and unauthorised.
The party said successful candidates would be duly notified through its official channels, after which Certificates of Return would be issued in accordance with established procedures.
The ruling APC urged all its members, stakeholders, and the general public to rely only on official communications from the party.
However, LEADERSHIP Weekend’s investigations revealed that, while the list had yet to be published, the APC had begun submitting the names of its candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general election days earlier.
A list of candidates for Senate and House of Representatives seats was contained in a letter jointly signed by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and the National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru.
The letter, dated June 29, 2026, was addressed to INEC Chairman Prof. Josh Amupitan.
The list, covering seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies across the nine states of Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi, followed the conclusion of the party’s appeals arising from its primary elections.
Consequently, a total of 26 high-profile aspirants, including former governors and members of the National Assembly, who had emerged as candidates in the primaries, were replaced by new flag-bearers in the affected constituencies.
In the letter to INEC, the APC said the replacements followed the recommendations of the party’s Primary Election Appeals Committee.
“We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeals Committee.
“The Reports of the Appeals Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the NWC of the APC as the party’s final position on the affected constituencies,” the letter read in part.
The APC said the exercise complied with the Electoral Act 2026 and INEC guidelines, adding:
“We hereby transmit the enclosed list of approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action.”
Winners and Losers
Prominent among those dropped are Sen. Gabriel Suswam (Benue North East), who was replaced by Sen. Emmanuel Udende; retired Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs, Benjamin Aber (Benue North West), who was replaced by Sen. Titus Zam; and Aro Samuel Bamidele, who was replaced by Sen. Sunday Karimi, the serving Senator representing Kogi West.
Similarly, Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu in Abia South; Shuaibu Isa Lau replaced Mohammed Kabir Bello in Taraba North; Adeniyi Adegbonmire replaced Taiwo Fasoranti in Ondo Central; and Olajide Ipinsagba replaced Gbenga Elegbeleye in Ondo North.
In the House of Representatives, Benue recorded several changes. In Makurdi/Guma, Hon. Dickson Tarkighir replaced Ikper Chris Terfa; in Vandeikya/Konshisha, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher replaced Livinus Tsar Adzor; in Kwande/Ushongo, Hon. Terser Ugbor replaced Kohol Shedrach Iornem; in Buruku, Hon. Sekav Dzua Iyortyom replaced Gideon Inyom; while in Gwer East/Gwer West, Hon. Austin Asema Achado replaced Nongo David.
For the Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Peter Abel Diah replaced Sanusi Mohammed Galadima.
In Suleja/Tafa/Gurara (Niger), Abubakar Lado Abdullahi replaced Adamu Tanko. In Lavun/Edati/Mokwa (Niger), Adamu Suleiman replaced Adamu Usman.
In Ekiti/Irepodun/Oke-Ero (Kwara), Raheem Tunji Olawuyi replaced Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi, while in Edu/Patigi/Moro (Kwara), Mohammed Mamman replaced Bello Tauheed Abubakar.
Ondo State recorded a major shake-up in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, where Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke.
In Idanre, Festus Olarewaju replaced Rasaq Obe; in Owo/Ose, Oluwatimehin Akintomide replaced Kayode Ijalana; in Okitipupa/Irele, Okunjinmi John Odimayo replaced Olumuyiwa Daramola; in Ondo West/Ondo East, Michel Olamidotun Akintomide replaced Abiola Makinde; while in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo, Festus Ayodele Adefiranye replaced Oyerinmade Matthew.
Also, in Kaduna North, Abdulazeez Kaka replaced Samaila Abdu Suleiman; in Ukwa East/Ukwa West (Abia), Samuel Okezie replaced Chris Nkwonta; while in Afikpo North/Edda (Ebonyi), Ekumankama Joseph Nkama replaced Hon. Iduma Igariwey Enwo, Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations Committee.
Nomination Processes Closed After Appeals – APC
Meanwhile, with the reports arising from the appeals having been considered and the revised list forwarded to INEC, the APC has now concluded its internal nomination process.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, who gave this indication during a recent chat with journalists, said the party’s priority is now to ensure that all its candidates complete their INEC nomination forms for upload to the electoral umpire’s portal.
Morka disclosed that the party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved contestants who felt shortchanged by the internal electoral process across various constituencies.
The APC spokesman said the party painstakingly reviewed every petition, a process that resulted in changes to some of the candidates who had earlier emerged from the primaries.
“For those aggrieved, we took our time to undertake a very thorough review of all the petitions that came after the primaries. There were over 700 petitions that were received and properly vetted.
“Some were successful, and some were not. Successful petitions led to corrections in some constituencies. Those that were not successful meant that those who were earlier declared were retained.
“In a few cases, there were upsets based on the outcome of the petitions, and decisions were made on them,” he said.
Indicating that the review process had been concluded, Morka added:
“We have gone past that. So the people today filling the forms are those who emerged originally without challenge, and those who emerged from the appeal process. This is the final position of the review.”
The APC spokesperson also said the party’s focus had shifted from publishing the list of candidates to completing and submitting INEC nomination forms.
“The priority of the party now is to have all our candidates fill and complete their INEC nomination forms and upload the same on the INEC platform.
“The successful people, I mean those who have emerged as the candidates of the party, are being provided with the relevant forms for documentation. They are to complete and return them to the party for upload to the INEC portal.
“…Having a public release of the list is not our priority now. Though we shall share the list publicly, right now the priority is to ensure our candidates complete their forms and meet the INEC deadline.
“This is more important to us than the public release of the candidates’ list. Those who are our candidates have received their forms by now. They already know themselves. There is no tension about that,” he said.
Morka noted that the party was activating its internal conflict resolution mechanism to address the concerns of aggrieved aspirants.
“The party’s internal conflict resolution mechanism is being deployed, and we are making tremendous progress,” he added.
With the APC taking this position, affected aspirants appear to be left with the option of approaching the courts to seek redress.
Although none had reportedly done so as of press time, discontent has continued to grow among party members and supporters.
For instance, aggrieved party members staged a protest in Akure, Ondo State capital, rejecting the party’s revised list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates.
The protesters, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Ondo State Is on Fire,” “Ondo State Says No to Abuja Result,” “No to Corner-Corner Appeal,” “We No Go Gree,” and “Let Our Votes Count,” marched through major roads to express their grievances.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Seun Osamaye, described the list in circulation as fake, insisting it did not reflect the outcome of the direct primaries conducted in the state’s 203 wards.
“We, the women of Ondo State who are members of the APC, have come out to express our displeasure with the fake list being circulated. We consider it fake because it does not reflect the mandate of the people.”
The development comes as indications emerged that Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was considering fresh options for his loyalists who were dropped by the APC NWC following its review.
The decision denied the governor’s loyalists APC tickets after they had earlier claimed victory in the primaries.
A source revealed that Governor Aiyedatiwa had initiated moves to woo an opposition party in the state to field his loyalists, though it remained unclear which party was being considered.
When asked, the governor declined comment through his chief press secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan:
“No comment on the primary outcome for now,” he said.
Ondo exco could face sanctions
Meanwhile, the APC national leadership is reportedly considering disciplinary action against some members of the Ondo State Executive Committee over their alleged involvement in protests against the party’s NWC following the review of the primaries.
A source at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja said the leadership was displeased with developments in Ondo State, where party executives were accused of allowing protests against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party.
According to the source, the party views the protests as an act of indiscipline capable of undermining cohesion.
A senior party source said: “We are aware that these party executive members are acting out the script of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“It is disheartening that Aiyedatiwa, who has enjoyed the benevolence of not only the party but also President Tinubu, would allow his supporters to protest against his benefactors.
“The party is compiling reports on those involved. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.”
APC governors whose allies were among those affected later held a meeting in Abuja under the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), where they reviewed the primaries.
Chairman of the forum and governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, said the Forum was satisfied with the party’s performance and had resolved to engage the APC national leadership, led by Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, to strengthen internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We have resolved to work towards solving the challenges facing our democratic space and ensuring that our people are better off,” Uzodimma said.
