Primaries: APC Reps fight back after ticket losses

The House of Representatives primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections have ignited one of the most intense internal political crises in recent years, with at least 26 serving lawmakers losing return tickets. Several other aspirants were disqualified, and multiple withdrawals were recorded amid allegations of manipulation, imposition, and consensus engineering. From Rivers, Edo, Imo, Lagos, Kwara, Benue, Ekiti, Plateau, to Cross Rivers, the primaries exposed widening fractures within the ruling party, as governors, power blocs, and political godfathers wrestled for control of candidacies, sidelining several sitting legislators. The fallout has already triggered threats of litigation, with aggrieved lawmakers insisting the primaries fell short of democratic standards.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, confirmed that 14 aspirants were disqualified during screening, stating that they “failed to scale the party’s screening exercise conducted in line with established procedures and guidelines. ” however, he did not provide specific reasons. Among those affected were four serving lawmakers, Iduma Igariwey (Ebonyi), Awaji-Inombek Abiante (Rivers), Anderson Allison (Rivers) and Boma Goodhead (Rivers). Other affected aspirants are Adefisoye Tajudeen, Olusegun Ategbole, Seun Ajongbolo, Arowole Ayodeji, Morufu Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi, Olaleye Adedipe, Bashir Bello, Sanni Ogembe and retired Air Commodore John Opara.

The disqualification of Rivers lawmakers further intensified tensions in the state’s APC structure, already divided between camps loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and those aligned with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The party qualified four aspirants, including former Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo. Harry-Banigo, who served as deputy governor under former governor and current FCT Minister, Wike, is the serving senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District. Also disqualified were former presidential aspirant, Tein Jackrich; Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree; and former Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo. Danagogo is widely regarded as an ally of Governor Fubara and had served in the governor’s administration before the political crisis in Rivers escalated.