The North-Central All Progressives Congress Forum on Thursday in Abuja opposed plans to make sitting governors seeking second terms go through primary elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
The forum, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, said governors should not be forced to contest for the party’s ticket again while still in office. The group reacted after the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, stated that there would be no automatic tickets for elected officials who want to return.
The forum said that since Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, it has been common practice for presidents and governors seeking second terms to get their party tickets without facing challengers.
It recalled that in 2019, former President Muhammadu Buhari and several APC governors were returned as candidates without opposition during the primaries. According to the group, changing that pattern now could cause tension within the party.
The forum argued that governors are the leading figures of the party in their states and should be treated as such. It warned that allowing party members to contest against sitting governors during primaries could create internal conflict and weaken unity.
The group added that such contests might give rival parties a chance to take advantage of any crisis that follows.
The forum also expressed worry that some aspirants might enter the primaries not to win but to stir trouble.
It said this could divide party members and affect the APC’s strength before the main election. For that reason, it called on the party’s National Executive Committee to review the plan and avoid actions that could lead to disputes.
However, the group clarified that primaries should still be conducted in states where governors have completed their terms and new candidates are needed. It maintained that contests are proper in such cases but not when a governor is seeking re-election for a final term.
The forum also disagreed with views that party structures at ward and state levels should not be controlled by sitting governors. A former Deputy National Chairman of the APC, Yekini Nabena, had warned that handing party control to governors could push away grassroots members.
In response, the North-Central APC Forum said governors are already the recognised leaders of the party in their states and that altering that arrangement could cause unrest.
The group advised the national leadership of the APC to take steps that would keep the party stable as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.