By Stephen Simon
A fresh political and legal dispute may be brewing between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the ruling party’s decision to revise its list of senatorial candidates for the 2027 general elections after the conclusion of its primary elections.
The controversy arose after the APC National Working Committee (NWC), acting on the recommendations of its Primary Election Appeal Committee, replaced several candidates who had earlier emerged victorious during the party’s senatorial primaries conducted in May. The changes affected nine states—Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi—and resulted in the restoration of six serving senators to the party’s final list of candidates.
However, INEC has maintained that it will only recognise candidates who emerged from valid primary elections monitored by the commission. The electoral body warned that its nomination portal is designed to reject the names of candidates that do not correspond with the results of primaries officially monitored and uploaded by the commission, raising the possibility of a confrontation with the ruling party over the revised submissions.
Documents submitted to INEC indicated that the APC reviewed the outcome of more than 700 petitions arising from its National Assembly primaries before approving the final list. Party officials said the changes were made after the recommendations of the Appeal Committee were considered and ratified by the National Working Committee in accordance with the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism.
Among those retained on the APC’s final list are Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The party also cleared four serving governors—AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe—to contest senatorial seats in the 2027 elections.
Political observers say the dispute could trigger fresh litigation if aggrieved aspirants challenge the substitutions in court. Under the Electoral Act, political parties are required to nominate candidates through democratically conducted primaries, while INEC is mandated to monitor the process and accept only candidates who emerge in accordance with the law.
With the deadline for the submission of candidates drawing closer, attention is now focused on whether the APC and INEC can resolve the differences administratively or whether the controversy will ultimately be settled by the courts. The outcome could have significant implications for the party’s preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
