The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has halted the announcement of House of Representatives primary election results across the country, ordering all election panels to stop declaring winners and instead submit their reports to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
The directive, contained in a memo signed by the National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Mohammed Argungu, instructed all National Assembly Primary Election Committees to immediately suspend media briefings and the public announcement of results.
According to the memo dated May 17 and titled “Central Results Collation and Announcement Centre,” the party stressed that established procedures for collation must be strictly followed from ward level to local government and constituency collation centres before final submission to the national secretariat.
Under the new arrangement, only the party headquarters in Abuja is authorized to formally announce results or brief the media after receiving verified reports from all states.
Party leadership, including APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, is yet to publicly clarify the directive, while National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka also did not respond to inquiries at the time of filing this report.
Internal tensions, Ondo crisis deepen concerns
The decision comes amid rising tensions in several states, particularly Ondo, where disagreements among members of the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee reportedly disrupted the collation process.
Sources within the party allege that some committee members left the state in protest, raising concerns over alleged attempts to influence outcomes in favour of certain aspirants, including some previously disqualified candidates.
There were also claims of pressure linked to political interests within the state, though these allegations remain unverified.
Party officials say the situation made it impossible for the committee to conclude its assignment, prompting the NWC’s decision to centralize all result handling in Abuja.
Allegations of pressure and disputed consensus lists
In Ondo State, some reports suggest disputes over alleged “consensus candidates” reportedly linked to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, with committee members divided over whether such arrangements were valid under party guidelines.
Several aspirants who had earlier been disqualified were still seen participating in the process, further complicating the exercise and heightening tensions within the party structure.
Concerns were also raised over the presence of individuals not formally part of the election committee at collation centres, with party members questioning possible attempts to influence proceedings.
Over 30 incumbent lawmakers lose APC tickets
Meanwhile, the primaries have produced major political shockwaves across the country, with at least 30 sitting members of the House of Representatives losing their APC return tickets for the 2027 general elections.
The outcome has affected lawmakers across multiple states including Nasarawa, Niger, Cross River, Rivers, Imo, Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, Jigawa, Ekiti, and others.
In several constituencies, first-term and long-serving lawmakers were defeated by new entrants, while in some cases, aspirants who stepped down or were replaced emerged as party nominees.
Political observers say the scale of losses reflects intense internal competition within the ruling party and growing influence of state-level political structures in shaping outcomes.
Benue primaries and Akume-Alia power shift
In Benue State, the primaries also highlighted a major political realignment between the camp of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and that of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
While several Akume-aligned lawmakers lost their tickets, the governor’s allies made significant gains, signalling a shift in control of the party structure within the state.
Notably, Akume’s wife, Regina Akume, secured the party’s ticket for Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency, even as other loyalists were voted out.
Party officials in Benue say the outcome reflects the governor’s insistence on direct primaries rather than automatic tickets for incumbents or political blocs.
Violence reported in Plateau primary
In Plateau State, the primaries were marred by violence after a resident, identified as Sani Abdullahi, was reportedly killed during a clash at a collation venue in Mangu Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses say the incident occurred when security operatives attempted to disperse protesting youths who were angered by delays in the commencement of the exercise.
The confrontation escalated into chaos, with stones reportedly thrown before gunshots were fired, leading to the fatality. Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Growing uncertainty ahead of 2027 elections
With disputes over primaries, allegations of interference, and reported violence in some states, political analysts say the APC faces a critical test in managing internal democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party’s decision to centralize result collation in Abuja is widely seen as an attempt to restore order, but it also underscores deep divisions within its state structures.
As the APC awaits final ratification of the primary outcomes, attention now shifts to how the leadership will resolve disputes and manage the growing number of aggrieved aspirants across the country.
