2027: APC Rejects Fresh Calls to Review Primaries Results

The All Progressives Congress has closed the door on demands for a fresh review of its primary election results ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party said it has completed work on the outcomes submitted from across the country and is moving ahead with the nomination process.

Party officials disclosed that the APC is preparing to submit the names of successful candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission once access is granted to the nomination portal.

The decision comes despite protests and petitions filed by several aspirants who were dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the primaries.

According to party sources, there are no plans to revisit the results. They maintained that the timetable for appeals has already expired and that the party has finished considering complaints submitted by members.

The APC primaries produced several surprises, including the defeat of more than 50 serving lawmakers seeking fresh tickets. Following the exercise, some unsuccessful aspirants challenged the process and demanded fresh primaries, alleging irregularities and unfair treatment.

However, party insiders said most of the petitions did not present enough grounds to alter the results. They explained that many complaints involved issues that existed before the primaries, such as zoning arrangements and questions about party membership, rather than matters directly connected to the voting process.

One of the disputes involves Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko, who is reportedly contesting the emergence of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the APC senatorial candidate. The challenge is said to be linked to questions surrounding Okowa’s movement from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC earlier this year.

In Rivers State, some aspirants have also questioned the emergence of Kingsley Chinda as the party’s governorship candidate. Party officials, however, insist that Chinda’s membership status is valid and that he met the requirements to participate in the primary election.

The APC also dismissed reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu had stepped into the dispute or ordered a review of the primary results. A member of the party’s National Working Committee said neither the President nor the Presidency had directed party officials to revisit any outcome from the exercise.

The official added that the results from Lagos State and other parts of the country remain unchanged and that the candidates who emerged during the primaries would remain the party’s flag bearers.

Despite the party’s position, some dissatisfied aspirants still hope that Tinubu may intervene before the final list is submitted to INEC. A number of them argued that influential figures within the party were preventing the President from receiving accurate information about complaints arising from the primaries.

Others warned that unresolved grievances could affect the party’s performance in the 2027 elections. They expressed concern that some unhappy members could either leave the APC or quietly work against the party during the polls.

With INEC expected to open its nomination portal later this month and the deadline for candidate submissions approaching, the APC appears determined to move forward with its current list and put the primary election disputes behind it.