2027: APC Resolves Primary Disputes, Uploads 27 Governorship Candidates to INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has uploaded the particulars of 27 governorship candidates and their running mates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, signalling a major step towards completing the party’s preparations for the 2027 governorship elections.

The development also suggests that the ruling party has made progress in resolving internal disputes that followed its governorship primaries in several states, including Kwara, Oyo, Adamawa and Bauchi, where the emergence of candidates had triggered protests and disagreements among aspirants and party members.

Governorship elections are scheduled to hold in 28 states, with the APC said to have completed the submission of its candidates and running mates in 27 of them.

The remaining case, according to a party source familiar with the process, involves a state in the North-East where the selection of a running mate is yet to be finalised.

The source, who is a member of the party's vetting committee and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the issue was expected to be resolved at a stakeholders' meeting in Abuja.

"We have made giant strides in our efforts to upload the details of all our governorship candidates and their deputies.

"But for one state, we would have completed and closed the process for governorship candidates," the source said.

The official explained that the delay was caused by the choice of a deputy governorship candidate, adding that the matter would be addressed at a stakeholders' meeting.

"The deputy governorship candidate caused the delay.

"The issue will be resolved at a crucial stakeholders meeting scheduled for Monday (today) here in Abuja," the source added.

Among the candidates whose particulars have now been processed are those from states where the APC's primaries generated significant internal disagreements.

In Kwara State, the party has uploaded the name of House of Assembly Speaker Yakubu Danladi Salihu as its governorship candidate.

His emergence had caused disquiet among some of the aspirants who contested the ticket, particularly following Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's endorsement of his candidacy.

The primary attracted 16 aspirants, including Senators Salihu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central, Oyelola Ashiru of Kwara South and Umar Sadiq Suleiman of Kwara North.

Danladi's emergence was met with opposition from some aspirants and party elders across the three senatorial districts.

In Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli has been listed as the APC's governorship candidate, with Adesoji Adedeji named as his running mate.

The development effectively draws a line under the dispute that followed the party's governorship primary in the state.

Former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, who lost the primary, had maintained that the exercise was transparent but continued to pursue an appeal at the party's National Secretariat.

Even after Alli received his certificate of return and was presented alongside his running mate, Adelabu and some other aspirants had insisted that the party had not settled on a final candidate.

The latest upload, however, indicates that the party has proceeded with Alli's candidacy.

In Adamawa State, Ahmed Tijani Galadima, a former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, has emerged as the APC's candidate.

His emergence had also been viewed against the backdrop of competing political interests within the state.

Galadima was reportedly not the preferred candidate of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who joined the APC a few months before the primary. Galadima was said to have enjoyed the backing of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

The disagreement appeared to have eased after the primary, with Fintiri subsequently seen alongside Galadima at political functions.

The APC has also uploaded former Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar as its governorship candidate.

The Bauchi primary had been particularly contentious, attracting prominent aspirants including former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Bala Wunti, Nura Manu Soro and Senator Shehu Umar Buba.

Disagreements followed Abubakar's emergence as the party's standard-bearer, with some aspirants and their supporters rejecting the outcome.

The crisis subsequently deepened when Senator Buba left the APC and emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The APC's deputy chairman in Bauchi State, Ibrahim Misau, also defected from the party alongside some local government and ward executives in Misau Local Government Area and declared support for Buba.

The latest candidate submission indicates that the APC has nevertheless moved ahead with Abubakar's candidacy.

The party's list also includes a number of first-time governorship flag-bearers.

Among them are Obafemi Hamzat in Lagos State, Solomon Adeola in Ogun, Kingsley Chinda in Rivers, Eric Opah in Abia, Mohammed Abubakar in Bauchi, Mustapha Gubio in Borno, Jamilu Gwamna in Gombe, Ahmed Wadada in Nasarawa and Baba Malam Wali in Yobe.

Other candidates whose names feature in the list include Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Bassey Otu of Cross River, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Abba Yusuf of Kano, Dikko Radda of Katsina, Umar Bago of Niger, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara and Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto.

The APC's latest submission also comes as political parties work towards meeting INEC's deadline for the submission of candidates for the 2027 elections.

According to the party source, about 60 per cent of the APC's House of Assembly candidates have also been uploaded.

House of Assembly elections will be conducted across all 36 states, while governorship elections will take place in 28 states.

Political parties have until August 8 to upload the names and particulars of their governorship and House of Assembly candidates.

The APC's progress in completing its governorship candidate list is expected to ease some of the internal tensions generated by its primary elections, although the party still faces the task of resolving the outstanding running-mate issue in the remaining North-East state before the filing process is concluded.