APC Candidate List Fury: Governors Confront Yilwatda Amidst Senatorial Drops

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has implemented significant changes to its final list of candidates, dropping several high-profile figures for senatorial and House of Representatives seats, and submitting the revised compilation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Among the senatorial candidates removed were former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam, and former Ondo State House of Representatives member, Gbenga Elegbeleye. In addition, 19 House of Representatives candidates, who had initially emerged victorious in the party’s primary elections held in May, were also replaced.

These alterations, which impacted states such as Abia, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger, and Kwara, were officially attributed by the APC to the comprehensive report of its Primary Election Appeal Committee. A formal letter, specifically titled “Forwarding of approved list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates,” was dispatched to INEC. The letter, co-signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, stated that the NWC meticulously reviewed, considered, and subsequently approved the Appeal Committee’s reports as the party's definitive stance. This process ensured full compliance with the provisions of the amended Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s prevailing regulations and guidelines.

Despite the changes, numerous prominent candidates successfully secured their nominations on the APC platform. Key figures who received their Candidate Affidavit Forms (EC9) include the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; his deputy, Sen. Jibrin Barau; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno; and Sen. Adams Oshiomhole. Additionally, four state governors were cleared to contest Senate seats: AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe. Other notable personalities cleared for Senate contests included former Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero, Sen. Shehu Sani, and Sen. Sunday Katung. Former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello also secured the party’s ticket for the Kogi Central Senatorial District, joining 109 senatorial candidates running under the APC banner.

For the House of Representatives, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Mudashiru Obasa, and James Faleke are among those nominated to represent the APC. The process of uploading candidates’ particulars to the INEC portal is ongoing, following the ratification of the April shadow poll results and a thorough review of the list in line with the outcomes of the Primary Appeal Reports and INEC’s guidelines. Political parties were given a specific window, from 9 a.m. on June 27 to 6 p.m. on July 10, to upload the names and particulars of their presidential and National Assembly candidates. Required documents include Form EC9, detailing candidates’ personal particulars, and Forms EC9A, EC9B, EC9C, EC9D, and EC9E, which contain the names and lists of nominated candidates.

Prior to this exercise, INEC proactively conducted a two-day training session for political party officials on the effective use of its Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP). Access codes were issued to parties to ensure proper preparation for the electoral process. Prof. Ibrahim Sani, the acting Director-General of the Electoral Institute, underscored the criticality of candidate nomination as a fundamental stage in the electoral process, stressing that the success of any election hinges on proper candidate nomination and parties' full understanding and compliance with all legal and procedural requirements.

Amidst these developments, Mr. Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, acknowledged that the party had received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members regarding the ongoing nomination process. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the party’s immediate priority was to ensure all its candidates complete their INEC nomination forms and have them uploaded to the commission’s portal before the stipulated deadline. Morka indicated that while the list would eventually be made public, the primary focus was on timely documentation.

However, this rigorous candidate selection and submission process has not been without significant internal party disaffection. Amidst growing anger trailing the final candidate lists in some state chapters, governors on the APC platform convened an emergency meeting. This crucial gathering took place on Tuesday at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, and was presided over by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma. Governors of Lagos, Zamfara, Ekiti, Taraba, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Kebbi, Borno, and Akwa Ibom were among those reportedly in attendance.

Sources privy to the meeting disclosed that several governors were reportedly peeved that candidates they had personally endorsed for National Assembly seats were conspicuously absent from the final list uploaded by the APC NWC, led by Professor Nentawe Yilwatda. This situation has fueled speculation that the list may have been tinkered with. Addressing journalists subsequent to the meeting, Governor Uzodimma merely hinted at a proposed meeting with the APC National Chairman, carefully remaining silent on the specifics of his colleagues' disaffection. He affirmed the governors' collective resolution to proactively work towards solving the problems and challenges facing Nigeria’s democratic space and ensuring the betterment of the populace. Furthermore, he stated their readiness to meet with the party leadership to strategically plan for the forthcoming 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, expressing the Forum's unwavering willingness to collaborate with Professor Yilwatda to strengthen the party ahead of these general elections.