Fresh Crisis Brews in APC Over Controversial Senate Candidates List- Ekohotblog

Fresh Crisis Brews in APC Over Controversial Senate Candidates List
INEC warned parties against submitting invalid candidate nominations.
Tinubu reportedly intervened to resolve internal APC disputes.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has revised its Senate candidates list, restoring several serving lawmakers who were initially dropped during the party’s primaries, a move that has heightened uncertainty over its final nominations ahead of the 2027 general election.

The latest development affected nine states: Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the review reinstated the tickets of six incumbent senators: Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), Emmanuel Udende (Benue North East), Titus Zam (Benue North West), Shuaibu Isa Lau (Taraba North), Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central) and Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo North). In Abia South, Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Erondu on the revised list.

One of the major changes saw former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam lose the Benue North East ticket after his earlier victory in the primary was overturned in favour of incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udende.

The revision comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warned political parties that it would reject the names of candidates whose nominations do not reflect the outcome of primaries monitored and certified by the commission.

Earlier, Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured APC senators who failed to secure return tickets that the party leadership was working with President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee to review petitions arising from the primaries.

Akpabio, who secured the APC ticket for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District through affirmation, acknowledged the large number of serving lawmakers who lost their tickets and expressed confidence that many of the disputes would be resolved.

“I felicitate, particularly those who have secured their mandates to represent their parties in the next election. I know that there will always be victories and disappointments, yet above every individual triumph stands a greater triumph, the triumph of democracy itself.

Fresh Crisis Brews in APC Over Controversial Senate Candidates List

“And in this Senate, we have promised that we will have very few disappointments, and I do know that the Senate leader and the leadership of the Senate are working very hard towards that, so in advance, I will say congratulations to all of us across party lines,” he said.

According to sources familiar with the process, President Tinubu and the APC leadership intervened in several states where disagreements among influential stakeholders threatened party unity.

A senior APC official disclosed that the restoration of some lawmakers followed intense lobbying and consultations involving governors and traditional rulers to prevent prolonged internal disputes ahead of the 2027 elections.

The official added that many serving lawmakers remain uncertain of their political future because the final nomination process has not been concluded.

He also revealed that one of the most contentious disputes occurred in Ondo State, where Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disagreed over the allocation of party tickets.

According to the source, the APC leadership reached a compromise allowing Governor Aiyedatiwa greater influence over State Assembly tickets, while Tunji-Ojo’s camp retained significant influence over National Assembly nominations.

Another party official said a similar power sharing arrangement was adopted in Benue State to resolve the political rivalry between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

The source said the agreement, reportedly backed by President Tinubu and the APC national leadership, gave Governor Alia greater control over State Assembly candidates, while Akume’s camp retained greater influence over National Assembly tickets.