The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing growing internal tension ahead of the 2027 elections as petitions from aggrieved aspirants and stakeholders continue to delay the release of the party’s screening report.
Among those reportedly cleared for the primaries are Hope Uzodimma, Siminalayi Fubara, and former Oyo State Secretary to the Government, Sarafadeen Alli.
Party insiders disclosed that the APC screened nearly 3,000 aspirants contesting for various positions, including the presidency, governorships, National Assembly seats, and state assembly positions, as part of preparations to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable for the 2027 polls.
Although the party had earlier scheduled May 13 for the release of the list of cleared aspirants, the report was yet to be made public as of late Tuesday night due to numerous petitions filed against some aspirants.
A senior APC source revealed that several screening panels received multiple complaints requiring careful review before the final report could be released.
Despite speculation surrounding the eligibility of Governor Fubara, party officials denied reports that any serving governor had been disqualified.
“No governor has been booted out. The party has always supported its governors. Some of them, like Uzodimma, got automatic clearance,” a source said.
The APC leadership is also reportedly pushing for consensus arrangements in several states to avoid post-primary disputes and possible court battles. However, resistance from some aspirants has complicated the process.
In Oyo State, controversy continues to surround the governorship race. While Sarafadeen Alli has reportedly secured party backing, former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu is said to be facing challenges that could affect his clearance.
Meanwhile, tensions in Ogun State deepened after the state government accused Senator Gbenga Daniel of attacking the same consensus arrangement that allegedly helped him secure his senatorial ticket in 2023.
The administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun dismissed Daniel’s criticisms as politically motivated, accusing the former governor of turning against the party structure after suffering setbacks ahead of the 2027 race.
Daniel’s camp, however, rejected claims that his emergence was based solely on consensus, insisting he won a competitive delegate primary by a landslide margin.
In Oyo, several APC governorship aspirants also warned against any attempt to impose a candidate ahead of the party primaries. The aspirants maintained that while they were open to consensus arrangements, the process must remain transparent and democratic.
The political uncertainty has also triggered heightened security measures in Ondo State, where Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa agreed to adopt direct primaries following pressure from the APC National Working Committee.
Ahead of the exercise, the Ondo State Police Command has launched show-of-force operations across parts of the state to prevent violence, voter intimidation, and other security threats linked to the primaries.
As internal negotiations continue, the APC faces mounting pressure to balance consensus politics with demands for transparency and fairness ahead of one of the party’s.
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