By The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing rising internal tensions following controversial outcomes of its governorship, National Assembly and state assembly primaries, with concerns mounting over defections, court cases and anti-party activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Findings by Sunday PUNCH indicate that while some aggrieved members have already exited the party, others are still consulting stakeholders on whether to remain in the APC or join opposition platforms where they believe they stand better electoral chances.
Across Lagos, Delta, Zamfara, Kogi, Plateau and Osun states, dissatisfied aspirants have filed petitions, threatened legal action and demanded fresh primaries, deepening concerns over internal cohesion within the ruling party.
54 federal lawmakers lose APC tickets
No fewer than 54 serving federal lawmakers failed to secure return tickets during the APC National Assembly primaries held between May 16 and 18.
The primaries were marked by intense contests, disqualifications and shifting political alignments, with several incumbents rejecting outcomes and alleging manipulation by party officials.
Among senators who lost tickets were former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta North), Ned Nwoko (Delta North), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Neda Imasuen (Edo South) and Diket Plang (Plateau Central).
Others include Osita Izunaso (Imo West), Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East), Titus Zam (Benue West), Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central), Saliu Mustapha (Kwara) and Isa Jibrin (Kogi East).
The party also disqualified Ipalibo Banigo (Rivers West), Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) and Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East) from participating in the primaries.
In the House of Representatives, those affected include Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere (Edo), Nicholas Mutu (Delta), Mike Etaba (Cross River) and Eseosa Iyawe (Edo), among others.
Defections follow internal discontent
The fallout has already triggered political defections and realignments across party lines.
Ovie Omo-Agege has reportedly joined the newly formed National Democratic Congress, while Senator Anthony Yaro defected to the Peoples Democratic Party after losing his return bid.
Omo-Agege and former Delta Assembly Speaker Victor Ochei were granted waivers by the NDC to contest senatorial seats in Delta Central and Delta North respectively.
Yaro said his exit followed consultations with supporters and dissatisfaction with developments within the APC in Delta State, stressing that his decision was not hostile to the PDP.
Other notable departures include former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Pantami, who joined the PDP after failing to clinch the Gombe governorship ticket, and former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu, who resigned after an unsuccessful governorship bid in Nasarawa State.
More exits feared as tension persists
Party sources say more defections may follow as aggrieved politicians continue consultations with supporters ahead of 2027.
A member of the House of Representatives from Ekiti State, Kolawole Akinlayo, described the primaries as flawed, alleging that outcomes were predetermined.
“There was no election; results were written in Government House,” he said.
He added that stakeholders were awaiting the outcome of internal review processes.
Lagos crisis deepens internal rift
In Lagos State, tensions over the primaries have exposed widening divisions within the party structure.
A senior party figure described the exercise as “deeply flawed,” while also pointing to intervention efforts by Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, who reportedly expressed concern over disputed outcomes in some constituencies.
Another party source said the situation reflects growing internal frustration that could affect future electoral performance in the state.
“The cracks are becoming visible. Some of the grievances are not being properly managed,” the source said.
Members of the Alimosho Synergy Group also rejected the results of the primaries, insisting the published figures did not reflect votes cast and demanding clarification from the party’s national leadership.
Petitions, court cases trail primaries
In Delta State, Senator Ned Nwoko rejected the outcome of the APC Delta North senatorial primary, which produced former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as candidate.
Okowa reportedly polled 113,309 votes against Nwoko’s 2,612, but the senator described the process as fraudulent and vowed to challenge it through internal dispute resolution mechanisms.
In Zamfara State, former governorship aspirant Sani Shinkafi approached the Federal High Court in Gusau seeking to nullify the emergence of Senator Sahabi Ya’u as consensus candidate for Zamfara North, arguing that no valid consensus arrangement was reached.
Similar petitions have emerged in Kogi, Plateau and Benue states, where aspirants are challenging alleged irregularities, violence and disputed results.
In Plateau State, about 10 aspirants stormed the APC secretariat in Jos to protest the conduct of the primaries, demanding a review of the exercise.
APC dismisses defection threats
Reacting to the crisis, the APC in Kwara State dismissed threats of mass defections by aggrieved aspirants, describing them as “empty threats.”
State chairman Sunday Fagbemi said party politics involves both victory and defeat, urging dissatisfied members to utilise internal dispute resolution mechanisms.
He also dismissed opposition parties as fragmented, insisting the APC remains the most stable political platform.
