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The Independent National Electoral Commission’s publication of candidates for the 2027 elections has reignited internal disputes within the ruling All Progressives Congress, with several aggrieved aspirants challenging primary outcomes and candidate substitutions. The list, released in Form EC9, has confirmed the candidates and running mates of major parties, leaving little uncertainty over who will contest under the APC banner.
The fallout has been particularly pronounced in states including Yobe, Nasarawa, Benue, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Imo and Ebonyi, where allegations of irregularities, candidate imposition, litigation and defections have emerged. In Yobe, Mustapha Maihaja is challenging the emergence of Baba Wali as the APC governorship candidate, while in Nasarawa, former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has defected to the SDP after rejecting the party’s primary. Similar disputes over substituted candidates and competing factions have triggered court cases and defections elsewhere.
The APC national leadership says it is working to prevent the disagreements from damaging its chances in 2027. The party has established reconciliation committees at various levels to engage aggrieved members, while some state chapters, including Gombe, have launched their own reconciliation efforts. Despite the defections and legal battles, APC officials maintain that the party remains capable of resolving the disputes and presenting a united front before the elections.
