The All Progressives Congress has come under criticism over its decision to alter the list of candidates who emerged from its National Assembly primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to The Punch, the controversy followed reports that the APC National Working Committee overturned some senatorial primary results and restored several incumbent lawmakers after reviewing petitions from the May Primary Election Appeal Commission.
The development has raised concerns about internal democracy in the ruling party, especially after the Independent National Electoral Commission warned that it would reject candidates who did not emerge from primaries monitored by the commission.
Reacting to the development, the Peoples Democratic Party described the situation as evidence of confusion within the APC.
“With the change of the candidate list, there is confusion in the APC. Let them continue to remain in confusion. It is our joy to see that they remain in confusion so that we can take advantage of that and take over power,” PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said.
The Labour Party also condemned the move, describing it as an aberration and a mockery of the Electoral Act.
“For us in the Labour Party, we did not supplant people who won with people who did not win. We did not, at any time, remove the names of people who won our primaries and replace them with those who did not win,” LP spokesman, Ken Asogwa, said.
The African Democratic Congress warned that the crisis could hurt the APC in the 2027 elections, saying the party had left many members bitter and aggrieved.
“The crisis and confusion in the APC now are going to be their undoing in the next election. They have left many of their members bitter and aggrieved, but that is their problem,” ADC spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said.
Similarly, the Social Democratic Party described the development as undemocratic, with its National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, calling it “the APC’s problem and the dysfunctionality of its system.”
However, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, said political parties have the right to determine their candidates through internal mechanisms, especially where appeals and grievances are involved.
Defending the ruling party, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the changes were made through due process and reflected fairness within the party.
“It shows fairness and justice. It shows the willingness of our party to go by the wishes of the people,” Ibrahim said.
He also dismissed criticism from opposition parties, urging them to focus on their own internal problems.
“Let them concentrate on solving the problems that have bedevilled them. The PDP is so factionalised that you don’t know whether it is a political party or an NGO now,” he added.
Ibrahim maintained that the APC remained committed to democratic values and internal fairness, insisting that the party would continue to address grievances in line with the law.
