As the All Progressives Congress prepares to conduct House of Representatives primaries across the country on Saturday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has cautioned party members and aspirants against engaging in violence or adopting a “do-or-die” approach to the exercise.
The primaries are expected to determine the party’s candidates for the National Assembly elections ahead of the 2027 general polls, with party officials insisting that arrangements have been concluded for a smooth and transparent process nationwide.
In several states, the APC leadership said sensitive materials and electoral officials had already been deployed to designated venues where direct primaries and consensus affirmations would take place. Party stakeholders disclosed that consensus arrangements had been adopted in some constituencies, while direct primaries would hold in areas where multiple aspirants remained in contention.
An APC official, Wumanna, stated that the party was fully prepared for the exercise, adding that all eight House of Representatives seats in his state would be keenly contested. He explained that where consensus failed, the party would strictly comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act by conducting direct primaries involving registered party members.
The atmosphere ahead of the primaries has, however, been marked by growing political tension and intense lobbying among aspirants seeking the party’s ticket.
In Oyo State, the APC leadership appealed to aspirants and their supporters to maintain peace and demonstrate discipline throughout the process. The state chairman, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, warned that the party would not tolerate acts capable of undermining internal democracy or disrupting the exercise.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting at the party secretariat in Oke Ado, Ibadan, Adeyemo urged aspirants to exhibit maturity before, during, and after the primaries.
According to the party, direct primaries would be conducted in constituencies where more than one aspirant was cleared, while affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus had already been reached.
The meeting was overshadowed by violence after suspected hoodlums invaded the party secretariat, unleashing attacks on party members and officials. Witnesses said the attackers, armed with dangerous weapons and charms, stormed the venue and caused panic among party faithful who fled for safety.
The violence reportedly lasted for nearly two hours and left several vehicles vandalised, while parts of the secretariat building, including office doors, windows, windshields, and tyres, were damaged.
Despite the disturbance, the APC Publicity Secretary in Oyo State, Olawale Sadare, said the situation had been brought under control. He described the incident as a sponsored attack by disgruntled political elements and confirmed that security agencies had commenced investigations into the matter.
Political intrigues have also continued to trail the party’s consensus arrangements in Katsina State, where some aspirants and stakeholders expressed dissatisfaction with the selection process.
The lawmaker representing Kankia/Ingawa/Kusada Federal Constituency, Abubakar Yahaya Kusada, warned that the handling of the consensus process could deepen divisions within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kusada argued that while consensus remained a legitimate democratic option, many loyal party members felt sidelined and excluded from the process. According to him, the growing frustration among aspirants and supporters had already triggered defections to opposition parties.
He called on the presidency and the APC national leadership to intervene urgently to ensure fairness, justice, and inclusiveness within the party structure in Katsina State, warning that unresolved grievances could weaken the APC’s electoral chances in the future.
In Imo State, the APC said it had successfully screened 106 aspirants seeking tickets for the State House of Assembly elections across the 27 constituencies in the state.
The exercise, conducted by a screening committee headed by Chief Judith Enanutor, is expected to pave the way for another round of highly competitive internal contests within the party.
APC spokesperson in Imo State, Dr Jones Onwuasoanya, dismissed speculations surrounding alleged disqualifications, insisting that the official list of cleared aspirants had not yet been released.
According to him, reports of protests by disqualified aspirants were false and misleading, stressing that no aspirant could claim exclusion until the party formally announced the screening results. He advised party members to rely only on official communication from the APC leadership.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State chapter of the APC also declared its readiness for the primaries across the state’s six federal constituencies.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, said aspirants had continued consultations and ward-level mobilisation ahead of the exercise. He maintained that the screening process conducted in Abuja was transparent and credible, adding that no aspirant from Ekiti State had been disqualified.
Dipe reiterated that the APC remained committed to democratic principles and would provide a level playing field for all aspirants participating in the shadow elections.
The nationwide primaries are widely seen as a major test of the APC’s internal cohesion and democratic credentials as the ruling party begins preparations for the 2027 general elections. Political observers say the outcome of the exercise, especially in states where disputes persist, could significantly shape alliances, defections, and power dynamics within the party in the months ahead.
