APC Crisis Festers As Five States Face Exclusion From Primaries, Convention

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Fresh turbulence has hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) as five state chapters face potential exclusion from the party’s upcoming primaries and presidential convention.

The crisis, which threatens the party’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections, stems from a heated dispute over the recognition of certain deputy national officers within the National Working Committee (NWC).

NaijaChoice News gathered that states including Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Ekiti, Cross River, and Zamfara are at the center of the storm, with stakeholders warning that their participation hangs in the balance.

The disagreement reportedly follows the alleged failure of the party hierarchy to fully implement a directive by President Bola Tinubu aimed at making the NWC more inclusive.

While some deputy officers have been integrated into the party’s top decision-making organ, others remain sidelined, sparking claims of selective recognition and constitutional breaches.

“This is a structural problem that has been ignored for too long,” a former party official told NaijaChoice News on the condition of anonymity. “Some people are being intentionally kept out to weaken certain interests before 2027.”

Simultaneously, anxiety is mounting in the National Assembly following President Tinubu’s reported refusal to grant automatic return tickets to APC lawmakers.

In a recent meeting at the Presidential Villa, the President reportedly informed Senate leadership that state governors remain the leaders of the party in their respective domains and will control the primary processes.

Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, has however moved to quell reports of a rift between the legislature and the Presidency, describing such claims as the “imagination of detractors.”

Adaramodu maintained that the relationship between the two arms of government remains cordial and focused on governance rather than political friction.

Despite these assurances, the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, recently reinforced the party’s stance, insisting that performance, not incumbency, will dictate who flies the party’s flag.

Amidst the national heat, local support for veterans remains strong, particularly in Borno South where youths have raised over N38.5 million to purchase nomination forms for Senator Ali Ndume’s fifth-term bid.

As the May 18 Senate primaries approach, the APC finds itself navigating a delicate path between executive-legislative harmony and a burgeoning internal rebellion over administrative fairness.

APC National Chairman on Automatic Tickets

This video provides direct insight into the APC’s official stance on candidate selection, featuring the National Chairman’s comments on the controversial “no automatic ticket” policy.