The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has effectively forsaken a substantial part of its claims to progressive ideals by undemocratically replacing candidates who were declared winners of its primary elections nationwide.
Amid what has since been widely described as ticket-horse trading, the APC replaced seven Senate candidates and 19 House of Representatives candidates after they had been declared winners of the May primary election, in the final list submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for reasons that are as spurious as they are baseless.
And the reason given by the party? The new list originated from the Primary Election Appeal Committee’s report. As if to demonstrate its clear disregard for its rules and the Electoral Act, the APC has remained obstinately silent on the content of the so-called appeal committee report.
There are concerns that the candidates were replaced to serve specific interests, especially in states where power is contested between the governor and some key party stakeholders.
For example, in Benue State, where the conflict between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, had remained intractable, reliable sources said former Governor Gabriel Suswam was replaced as the party’s candidate for Benue North-East to appease Akume.
According to the party’s list, two senate candidates were replaced in Benue and Ondo States, while one each was replaced in Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba, and Abia.
A common situation in states where at least two Senate candidates have been replaced is a conflict between the governor and a senior government official. The Ondo APC is involved in a dispute between Minister Tunji-Ojo and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. In Benue, the Akume-Alia disagreement has persistently resisted all efforts at resolution.
The wave of replacements also affected some winners of the party’s House of Representatives primary elections, with new candidates emerging across states such as Benue, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Ondo, Kaduna, Abia, and Ebonyi.
It is evident that the replacement extends the intrigues that followed the party’s primaries in May, when Nigerians once again witnessed controversy, allegations of manipulation, and intrigue, hallmarks of the governing party.
Can Nigerians be assured of a credible election under a ruling party that openly replaced candidates who were legitimately elected by its members in a primary election it claimed was transparently conducted? Assuming, without conceding, that the party had valid reasons to replace these candidates, why has it not yet made those reasons public?
Essentially, the APC’s decision to randomly replace candidates who were properly declared winners in a primary election it organised under the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, supervised by the electoral authority, is a grave concern. If this is allowed to stand, it will suggest a worrying outlook for the 2027 general elections.
What makes a democracy truly worthy is its capacity to let the will of the people prevail. When party members gather in large numbers to cast their votes for aspirants of their choice, who are eventually declared winners, there can be no sin greater than replacing those who have been validly elected. APC did just that and, sadly, reminds many Nigerians of the impunity that characterised the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The Electoral Act clearly states how a candidate can emerge, either through election or consensus. The law details the method of election and outlines the procedures that must be followed for a consensus to be valid.
By replacing candidates without providing genuine reasons other than claiming it was based on the party’s appeal committee report, the APC not only upends logic but also clearly shows its complete disregard for the rule of law, including the electoral act passed by the national assembly, where it holds a convincing majority.
APC must be reminded that there are judicial precedents indicating that political parties no longer have the legal power to replace candidates who emerge from a legitimately conducted primary election.
This brazen act by the APC undoubtedly represents a major test for both the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, a senior member of the Bar, and the chairman of INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, a seasoned legal practitioner and respected law teacher.
As a newspaper, we enjoin INEC not to recognise the replaced candidates and, most importantly, penalise the ruling APC for this impudent affront on the rule of law.
